Walk Through the Fire
by TheFirstMrsHummel
Summary: After relocating to Wisconsin for grad school, Kurt's apartment building catches on fire, rendering him temporarily homeless.  When his rescuer turns out to be someone from his past, what will happen next?  Rated M for language and Kurtofsky smut.
1. Chapter 1

_**Inspired by, what else, Max Adler as a firefighter in the video game LA Noire. Which I sadly cannot play, 'cause I'm a big loser who only has a Wii, not an Xbox or Playstation. The stills from it make me all tingly, though. :)**_

_**Big thanks to FancyZebra on Tumblr, for making sure I didn't mess up all the firefighter stuff too badly.**_

_beep beep beep beep_

The piercing noise cut through Kurt Hummel's slumber like a hot knife through butter. He groaned miserably. It couldn't possibly be time to get up already; he'd stayed up past midnight unpacking, and it felt like his head had hit the pillow only moments before. He flung out his hand to smash the snooze button, when he realized that although the beeping was quite loud, it wasn't coming from beside him. It sounded like it was out in his living room, maybe? Kurt swung his legs out of bed and padded barefoot and shirtless out of the bedroom, still half asleep. He flipped the light on, not wanting to trip over the many boxes that were still strewn all over the place. The closer he got to his living room, the louder the sound was, but when he got there he could tell it was coming from outside his front door, from the hallway of his apartment building. As he drew closer, he smelled something acrid and unpleasant, and could also hear what sounded like muffled shouts. His sleepiness was starting to fade as fear crept in, and it disappeared completely when he looked down at the bottom of his front door. There were wisps of smoke seeping in from the crack under the door, and he went into full-fledged panic mode as he realized what was happening. _Holy shit, the building's on __**fire**__!_

Kurt started breathing heavily, and told himself to calm down. He had to get out of his apartment, that was for sure. He tried to remember everything he'd been told about what to do in case of a fire, but the fear was making it hard to think straight. Kurt went to his door and gingerly placed his palm against the surface. It was warm, but not burning hot. Taking a deep breath, he opened the doorway as slowly as he could. The sight that greeted him was the most terrifying thing he'd ever seen. The hallway was so thick with smoke, he could only see a couple of doors down. There was an orange glow coming from beyond them, and he could actually hear the crackle of what he assumed were flames.

He slammed the door shut. "Fuck!" he yelled. He sure as shit wasn't getting out that way. He put his head in his hands, trying to think of something more helpful than the gibbering litany of _gonna_ _die gonna die gonna die_ that was currently racing through his mind. Suddenly, he heard something that shook him out of his panic. _Sirens!_ Kurt took off running to his bedroom and threw open the window, the humid August air hitting him like a wet slap in the face. But the welcome sight of three fire trucks and an ambulance approaching was well worth it.

He watched as the firefighters scrambled out of the trucks, some of them taking the heavy hose, and others lifting ladders off the sides of the huge vehicles. Kurt tried to think of something to do to get their attention. He put one leg very carefully over the window ledge, straddling it. He grabbed a hold of the frame as tightly as he could and ducked his head beneath the opened pane, so most of his body was outside the building. Kurt wasn't the greatest with heights; he felt a rush of dizziness and dug his nails into the wood of the frame. He began yelling as loudly as he could, which, considering his training in projecting his voice, was pretty damn loud. "Hey! Hey! I'm up here, do you see me? I need help!"

To his utter relief, a couple of the firefighters on the ground looked up, and one pointed directly at him. He heard one shout up, faint from the distance to his third floor apartment. "Stay there! We're coming to get you! Don't jump!"

_Well, duh_, thought Kurt. He was pretty sure he'd break every bone in his body if he did that. Of course, if it was a choice between that and burning to death, he probably _would_ take a header out the window. Probably. He swallowed, not really wanting to think any longer about having to make such a terrible deci-

The top of a ladder hit the side of the building next to him with a loud thump, scaring the shit out of him. He let out a rather girly yelp, putting the hand not clinging to the window to his sternum. If he managed to get through all of this without having a nervous breakdown or cardiac event, it'd be a miracle. He looked down, and could see the bulky shape of a firefighter making his way up the ladder quickly. Kurt nervously moved his other leg over, so he was sitting with his butt on the windowsill and legs dangling over the frightening drop to the parking lot below. The firefighter finally arrived at the top rung of the ladder. Between the darkness and the man's helmet, Kurt really couldn't see his face much. He caught the outline of a sharp, straight nose when he turned his head to the side, but that was about it. The man's shoulders were very broad beneath yellow coat, and Kurt wondered if he was going to be tossed over one of them. _They call that a "fireman's carry", right?_

"Are you injured, sir?" asked the firefighter in a deep voice.

"No, I'm fine," replied Kurt. "Scared shitless, but otherwise I'm okay."

The man paused for a moment, tilting his head to the side a little. Then, with an abrupt shake of his head, he asked, "Is there anyone else in your apartment?"

"No, I live alone," said Kurt.

"Good," said the firefighter. "Give me your arm. I'm going to help you onto the ladder, and we'll climb down together, okay?" Kurt held out his arm, but froze when it came time to actually leave the window. He looked helplessly at the man, eyes wide and petrified. The firefighter tightened his grip on Kurt's arm. "It's okay, man," he said in a patient, mollifying tone. "I'll get you down safe, I promise. You can trust me. I won't let you get hurt, but it's gonna be hard to keep my word if we sit here much longer. The fire's spreading rapidly. Let's get the hell out of here, what do you say?"

Kurt gulped, gathering his courage. The firefighter was right; he was putting both of them in danger, and he needed to get it together fast. "Okay. Let's do this," he said in a trembling voice. Holding his breath, he allowed his rescuer to guide him off of the window onto the ladder, holding his body off to the side and then returning into place surrounding Kurt. When Kurt was finally settled onto the ladder, he let the breath out in a whoosh.

"Okay, I'm going to step down a rung," the man said. "You follow me, nice and slow. We'll be on the ground in no time." They made their way down the ladder, Kurt enveloped by the heat and scent of the man at his back. Already perspiring from the heat and stress, he felt a trickle of sweat run down his bare back. It was quite possibly the most inappropriate time to notice such a thing, but this guy smelled , really, really good. Some kind of woodsy body wash or lotion, and mixed with fresh perspiration. And God, did he need to get laid, if he was thinking about that sort of thing at a time like this. It had been so long, he was surprised his dick hadn't atrophied from disuse.

Finally Kurt felt the firefighter come to a stop, and he looked around to see they had in fact made it to the bottom in one piece. The man stepped off so Kurt could do the same, and Kurt had never been so happy to have both feet on the ground. All around them, there was chaos; men running around shouting, his new neighbors weeping and screaming, even a couple of dogs running around wildly. The firefighter turned to go, but Kurt snagged his arm. He still couldn't see the man's shadowed face very well, but he saw the glitter of his eyes catch what little light there was. "Thank you," Kurt said. "Thank you for saving my life."

"You're welcome," said the firefighter, in a strange tone Kurt couldn't quite parse. "I have to go. Stay as far away from the building as you can, Kurt." He then took off, running over to where several of his comrades were manning the hose.

"I will," said Kurt to his retreating back, then stopped short. _Wait…how did he know my name was Kurt?_ he wondered. The past few minutes were a bit of a blur, but he was positive he'd never given the man his name. It was very strange. Kurt followed his directions though, walking as far away from the building as he could get, and sitting down under a tree. He didn't really know what else to do; he had no friends or family here in Whitefish Bay, where he'd moved to start grad school at the nearby University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. There wasn't really anyone he could call locally, and if he called his family back in Lima, they'd just worry and fret because there was nothing they could do to help. He didn't know if he'd be able to get back into the building to even get his car keys to drive to a motel. He felt his chin start to wobble, so he drew up his knees and placed it on them. Detachedly, he watched the firefighters battle the blaze, though from this distance he couldn't tell which one was his rescuer. After a long while, the flames were gone and the building sat smoking in the darkness. He guessed it was probably time to go over and see if he could get into his apartment, and try to figure out what to do next.

Kurt was walking towards a group of firefighters when he felt someone brush his arm. He turned around to see what he recognized as the impressive build of the man who had rescued him. His face was no clearer than before. "Hey, are you okay?" the man asked.

"Just kind of at a loss," Kurt said. "I moved in here yesterday, for school. I don't have any family or friends here, and I guess I'm just not sure what to do. I feel kind of…vague."

"You're probably in shock, Kurt," the man said worriedly. He grabbed Kurt's hand, flipping it over to take his pulse.

Kurt tugged it back, the man's words bringing things into focus again. "You did it again," he said. "You called me Kurt. How do you know my name? We didn't exactly get around to introductions up there on the ledge."

The firefighter's big shoulders slumped a little, and Kurt heard him sigh. The man lifted his hand to remove his helmet, allowing light to reach his face so that Kurt could see him much more clearly. Kurt's eyes widened, and he felt a buzzing in his ears. Because the firefighter who had saved his life tonight - tall, strong, and with what Kurt could now see were clear hazel eyes and a beauty marked cheek? It was none other than David fucking Karofsky, of all people.

"Oh my God," said Kurt, stumbling back a little. He actually thought he might faint, and felt the blood drain from his face. His knees weakened, and Dave grabbed him by the elbows to hold him steady. Kurt hadn't seen Dave since graduation day four years ago. And hadn't spoken to him since…since that thing he tried not to think about very often.

"I think you should sit down again, Kurt," Dave said, guiding him over to a picnic table by the side of the building. Kurt went passively, still completely stunned by the evening's events. Dave took his pulse -successfully this time – and tipped his chin up to examine his eyes. He seemed to be satisfied with the results, and backed off a little.

It did feel better sitting down. Kurt looked at the ground, trying to get his bearings back. Blowing out a breath, he looked back up at Dave. "What are you doing here?" he asked. At Dave's frown, he clarified. "Not here, as in my apartment building. In Milwaukee, I mean."

"I live here," replied Dave. "I have for the last two years."

"Oh," said Kurt, and stopped talking. Uncomfortable, he decided to shift gears. "Can I…," he said, looking back at his building, "can I go back inside now?"

"No way," said Dave. "The top floor got the least amount of damage, which isn't saying much, unfortunately. But the lower floors are gutted. It'll have to be tested in the morning for structural integrity by the Fire Marshall, before anyone can go inside."

"I see," said Kurt, numbly.

"Look, Kurt," said Dave. "Is there someone I can call for you? "I know you said you're new in town, but you must have some contacts here."

Kurt shook his head miserably. "Other than the couple of UWM faculty members I interviewed with, I don't know anyone here. And I only know how to reach them through their work information, which isn't going to do me much good in the middle of the night." He paused, thinking. He felt weird asking Dave for anything, but this _was _an emergency situation. "Maybe you could drive me to a motel or something?" he asked, but then immediately shook his head. "But my wallet's up there too, so I have no money, no ID." He touched his bare chest. "I don't even have a shirt, or shoes. Fucking wonderful." He tried to keep the tears out of his eyes and voice, but failed.

"This was a pretty big fire, Kurt," said Dave. "It's put a fair number of people homeless tonight. Usually the Red Cross sets up a shelter…" he trailed off, closing his eyes. He found the thought of Kurt Hummel, with his elegant ways and delicate mannerisms, spending the night on a cot in a church basement somewhere to be almost repugnant. No matter what had happened in the past, Kurt _did_ know someone local, someone who could help him.

"Right," said Kurt, sniffing back his tears. "Who do I talk to, about getting into the shelter tonight?"

Dave sighed. "You don't have to stay at the shelter, Kurt," he said. "I live about five minutes from here, and I have a futon in my guest room. You can stay with me."

Kurt's eyes widened almost comically. "What?" he said. "I can't…I couldn't ask you to do that."

"You're not asking, I'm offering. Do you want to come back to my place or not?" he said brusquely, hoping his words weren't interpreted as some sort of come-on.

"I…yes. Yes I would," he said. It was probably going to be painfully uncomfortable, but wasn't like he had a lot of options. He could at least be grateful, and polite. "Thank you, Dave. For rescuing me again, I guess."

Dave looked at him with surprise, and smiled for the first time that evening. "You're welcome. You can ride back with me on the truck, and then I'll get my car at the station."

About fort-five minutes later, Kurt found himself inside Dave's car, wearing an extra pair of sneakers and a large North Shore Fire Department t-shirt that Dave kept in his locker at the station. Dave had changed into a dark blue Brewers t-shirt with the sleeves cut off and brown cargo shorts. His arms were even more impressive than in high school, Kurt noted with a flush. "So," said Kurt, trying to make conversation and get his mind off of Dave's physique. "You don't stay at the station when you're working?"

"We're a volunteer fire department," said Dave. "We come in from our homes and our jobs when there's a call. The only full time, paid fire department around here is in the city itself."

"So what do you do, when you're not fighting fires?" Kurt asked.

"I'm an assistant warehouse manager, for a company that makes electrical components," he said. At Kurt's surprised look, he snorted in an amused way. "It's as about as exciting as it sounds. But the pay and hours are actually pretty great, not to mention full benefits."

"How did you wind up in the Milwaukee area, if you don't mind me asking?" said Kurt.

"While you and your sparkly little friends danced off to New York after graduation, I stayed in Lima and went to Rhodes," he said, referring to the community college. "My grades were good enough to get into a four-year school, but I wasn't ready to leave home yet." He paused, and when Kurt didn't question why, he continued on. "I wanted more than just a two-year degree, though, so I transferred out here to Marquette for my junior and senior year. I was working at Brady part-time all through my last two years of college, and when I wound up with a diploma that was hardly worth the paper it was written on, they hired me on full time."

"What was your degree in?" asked Kurt, honestly curious.

"Applied Mathematics," Dave responded, giving a little half-smile at Kurt's astonished expression. "I know, what was I thinking, right? Not even Math for teaching primary or secondary school. At least that might have gotten me a teaching gig, if I'd gone on to grad school, at least. But no, I had to pick something impossible to get a position in, unless you're the lifelong university type. Which, I found out a little too late, I definitely was not." Kurt knew that Dave had a knack for Math in high school; at least he did after junior year, when he'd made an off the cuff comment about going to Calculus class. But to actually go to college and study pure Mathematics, with all those squiggles and lines and x's that Kurt was never able to quite grasp? To say he was surprised was the understatement of the century.

He was still trying to process all of this, when he noticed that Dave was pulling into the driveway of a small, neat brick house. "Well, here we are," said Dave awkwardly. "We should get inside, it's been a long night for both of us." They exited the car, and Dave let them into his house after fumbling for a moment with the front door key. The house looked cozy and warm, with slightly worn furniture and a large flat screen TV against one wall. It reminded Kurt a little of his Dad and Carole's house in Lima, and a wave of homesickness went through him.

"It's very nice," said Kurt. "Have you lived here long?"

"Nope, I just started renting it at the beginning of the summer," Dave said. "I never liked apartment living much." He paused. "Can I get you something to drink? I'm going to go put fresh sheets on the futon, and it'll take a few minutes."

"I'll just grab a glass of water myself, if that's okay," Kurt said.

"Help yourself," said Dave, shrugging. "Glasses are in the cupboard to the left of the sink."

In the tiny kitchen, Kurt poured water into a glass bearing the Smithwick's logo and gulped it down. He walked through the living room into a short hallway, where he could see light coming from an open door. He headed down to a small room where Dave was standing next to an oak futon, slipping a pillow into its case. Dave looked up at Kurt. "Hey," he said. "Almost ready."

The futon was done up with dark green sheets, with a lighter green chenille blanket folded at the bottom. Kurt was exhausted, and the bed looked completely soft and inviting. He thought about what it would have been like at an emergency Red Cross shelter. Hard cots, he imagined, and lots of noise and chaos. Likely no air conditioning to beat back the sweltering heat. It would be nothing at all like this cool, peaceful room in Dave's house, he was sure. He felt tears sting his eyes. "Thank you again, Dave," he said. "For everything. Saving my life, and giving me a place to stay. I really appreciate it." His breath hitched embarrassingly, and he turned away.

He felt a warm hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, Kurt," he heard Dave say from behind him. "Really, it's no problem at all. And I know it probably seems impossible, but things will look better in the morning, after some sleep."

Kurt blinked his tears away, turning back around and forcing a tiny smile. "I'm sure you're right," he agreed. "I'm just really tired. I'm sure I'll be asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow."

"Right there with you," said Dave. "I'm going to grab a quick shower, then head to bed myself. Speaking of which, the bathroom is the next door down, in case you need to use it. And my bedroom's at the very end of the hall. Just knock on the door if you need me." Dave grimaced immediately, recognizing the suggestiveness of his words. "I mean, uhhh…" He trailed of awkwardly, a sight blush forming on his cheeks.

"I get it," said Kurt, his forced smile turning into an authentic grin. "Like you said earlier, it's been a long night for both of us. I'm gonna crash, so I doubt you'll hear from me before morning."

"Right," said Dave, ducking his head. "Goodnight, Kurt. See you in the morning."

"Goodnight, Dave," Kurt said. Dave left the room, closing the door with a quiet click behind him. Kurt took off the big t-shirt and surprisingly well fitting sneakers, turned off the light, and slid between the green sheets with a sigh. The bed was as comfortable as he'd thought. He lay there quietly, but despite what he'd said to Dave, Kurt was finding it hard to switch his brain off. Images from the crazy evening ran through his mind, until he heard the water turn on in the next room. His thoughts immediately turned to Dave. It was still hard to believe that all this time later, they'd come across each other again, and over three hundred miles from Lima. Kurt knew he'd changed a lot since graduating from McKinley, and it was apparent that Dave had too. Thinking about the new Dave lead directly to thoughts about the old one. Kurt didn't think about the last time he'd talked to Dave very often; it left him feeling ashamed and rather depressed. So much so, that he'd never told another person – not Blaine, or Rachel, or Finn or his dad – what had happened the last time he and Dave Karofsky were alone together. Unwillingly, his mind drifted back to that day over four years ago, but as fresh as if it had taken place the week before.

_"Dave, wait!" called Kurt, grabbing the bigger boy's arm. "Why did you take off like that? I was talking to you."_

_Dave's eyes darted around the hallway, seeing if anyone was observing him with Kurt. He leaned in closer to the slightly shorter boy. "I'm not talking to you about any of that shit in the middle of the goddamn hallway," he hissed._

_"Fine," said Kurt, irritated. He took a couple of steps away, and looked back over his shoulder. "We'll talk about it privately then." He saw Dave roll his eyes and sigh heavily, but walked away, knowing Dave would follow him. He briskly made his way to the choir room, suspecting it would be deserted this time of day. Kurt entered and waited for Dave, who had followed a couple of lengths behind him so it wouldn't be obvious they were going somewhere together. A moment later Dave arrived, closing the door behind him. _

_He folded his arms and glared at Kurt. "Happy?" he said, sarcastically._

_"Ecstatic," replied Kurt, equally peevish. "Is this private enough for you, Dave?"_

_"I guess."_

_"I don't know why you're so upset," Kurt said. "I just wanted to let you know I found out Carmel High started a PFLAG chapter. I know I let you off the hook about starting one here at McKinley, but I thought maybe you might want to go to one of the meetings with me and Blaine sometime."_

_"Why the hell would I want to do that?" sneered Dave. _

_Kurt wished he couldn't see the fear in the other boy's eyes, while he pretended to be tough and uncaring about the subject at hand. It made his chest tighten, to see someone trying to hide their true feelings so mightily. "It could help you, Dave," Kurt said softly. He could see Dave's mask start to crumble at his gentle words, and his mouth worked. Kurt hoped Dave wasn't going to cry again, like he'd done the day he apologized. It had been incredibly painful to witness the first time, and he wasn't exactly eager to repeat the experience. "You wouldn't have to pretend to be something you're not there. Even if it was just for an hour a week, I bet that would be a real relief for you." Dave let out a shaky breath and unfolded his arms, so Kurt could tell he was reaching him. "They could help you come out."_

_At that last part, however, Dave's tension immediately returned. "You just won't let that go, will you?" he said angrily. "God, I'm so sick of it. It's all you ever have to say to me. Like I told you at prom, I __**can't**__. Stop bugging me about it and leave me the fuck alone."_

_Stung, Kurt winced. "I'm just trying to help, Dave," he said. "I've been there, I know how hard it is..."_

_"You don't know __**shit**__, Kurt!" Dave said loudly. "Everybody already knew you were gay!"_

_Kurt hated it when people assumed that coming out had been a picnic for him, just because a lot of people had already assumed the truth. "Whether you believe it or not, Dave, it was still really hard for me to do!"He realized he was shouting, and tried to calm down._

_"That may be true," said Dave, pinning Kurt with burning hazel eyes. "But let me ask you this, Kurt. How many friends did you lose when you told them you were queer? How many things that you loved got taken away from you, or just became so miserable that you quit them?"_

_Kurt opened his mouth automatically to reply, but nothing came out. He paled a little._

_"I bet your life hardly changed at all for the worse, after you came out. You were already being bullied and teased long before that. You kept your friends, and you didn't have to leave your stupid glee club. It was business as usual for Kurt fucking Hummel, wasn't it?"_

_Kurt closed his mouth. He didn't even have to answer Dave; they both knew the truth._

_"That's what I thought," Dave said coldly. "It'll be nothing like what happened to you, Kurt. I'll lose __**everything**__. My friends will hate me, think I'm gross and perverted. I'll get so much shit from most of the football team, it won't even be worth playing anymore. I'll go from being one of the most popular kids at school to a slushie magnet overnight. Everything good in my life will disappear, just like that." He snapped his fingers sharply, making Kurt jump. "So don't even try to tell me you've been where I am. You've never been within a million miles of it."_

_Kurt was silent, trying to think of something to say. Finally, he swallowed. "You're right, Dave," he admitted. "In a lot of ways, it's completely different for you. You'll lose things, and people from your life, in a way that I never had to. But Dave?" Kurt's eyes softened, and he looked at Dave beseechingly as he continued. "You'll gain some things, too. Things that might make the losses a little easier to bear."_

_Dave's face was still hard as stone, unflinching. "Yeah, like what?"_

_"How about the peace that comes with not having to hide all the time?" Kurt said. "The self-respect you'll get back, because you won't be lying to everyone anymore. You might even find some new friends...better ones, because they'll like you for who you really are."_

_To his disappointment, Dave laughed harshly. "God, you are so fucking naive, Kurt," he spat. "Do you even live on the same planet as me? You really think that I'll fuck up everything that makes it worth getting out of bed each morning, for __**that **__shit? Some flowery fucking ideals, and imaginary friends? __**Please**__."_

_Kurt felt his cheeks burn, listening Dave talk about things that were pretty damn important to him as if they were completely worthless. He was surprised to find that he was actually very angry at Dave. Who did Dave think he was, to talk like that to someone who was just trying to help him? "I-" he started, but Dave cut him off rudely._

_"Save your voice for singing, Fancy," he said dismissively. "There's nothing that coming out can do for me that would make it worth it. Get it through your head. __**Nothing**__."_

_Kurt felt a hot blast of livid frustration race though his body. He literally saw red for a moment, and acted without thinking. "Not even __**this**__?" he flung out. Before either boy knew what was happening, Kurt had hauled Dave forward roughly, crashing their lips together. __**I'll show him**__, thought Kurt irrationally. He put his best effort into the kiss, pushing his tongue past Dave's teeth, using all the techniques he'd perfected during endless makeout sessions with Blaine. __**Being out means kissing boys. And kissing boys is fucking awesome, you closeted prick.**__ Dave surrendered to the kiss with a whimper, his hands going to Kurt's waist and squeezing. Kurt wasn't sure how long he'd been ravaging Dave's mouth, but as soon as his ire melted away, reality set back in. __**Oh my God, what am I doing**__? he thought, and pulled away from Dave abruptly. They were both flushed and breathing heavily._

_Dave put his fingers to his lips, dazedly. "What was that?" he asked Kurt._

_**I have no idea**__, he wanted to say. Kurt was embarrassed at his utter lack of control, and horrified at the thought that he'd just technically cheated on Blaine. Shaking his head, he made a stab at damage control. "I was...just trying to show you something worth coming out for," he said._

_Dave's lips parted, and he looked at Kurt with a longing he'd never seen on his face before. "You mean, being with you?" he asked quietly._

_"God, no!" said Kurt, unthinkingly. Apparently the heated kiss had temporarily broken the filter between his brain and his mouth. Dave's face fell, and he looked at him with a wounded expression that twisted Kurt's heart. "I mean, I'm with Blaine. And you and I, after everything, that would be really weird." __**Stop it Kurt, you're just making it worse**__. "I just meant, kissing boys in general. Not me specifically." Dave's face darkened, as if a cloud had passed over it. __**Okay, shutting up now.**_

_Dave stared at him for a few moments, then the corners of his lips curled up in a nasty smirk that brought back some very unpleasant memories for Kurt. "I appreciate the gesture," Dave said. "But worth coming out for? Sorry, it wasn't __**that**__ great. Nice try, though." _

_Kurt was shocked at how deeply Dave's words cut him, and he blanched._

_Dave approached him, the mean smile disappearing. He looked at Kurt seriously, eyes narrowing. "I'm done with this. Don't say another fucking word to me about coming out. It's not happening. And now that I guess we're even? Don't __**ever**__ touch me like that again." He turned his back to Kurt and walked out of the choir room, never seeing the tears that came to Kurt's eyes._

The pipes squeaking as the water was turned off brought Kurt back to the present. After what he'd done to Dave, he knew he was lucky that the man had been able to look past it and offer his hospitality to Kurt. He cringed internally, as he always did whenever he thought about how self-centered he'd been back in high school. He'd made Dave's coming out some sort of mission to accomplish, or feather in his cap, and in the process lost sight of what was important to the boy himself. He sighed and rolled over, facing the door, closing his eyes. As he started to drift off, he heard the creak of a floorboards as Dave left the bathroom and went to his bedroom.

Except that the creaking seemed to be getting closer, not further away. Kurt's eyes flew open, and he saw a shadow of in the backlit crack at the bottom of the door. There was silence, and Kurt held his breath, waiting to see if Dave would knock, or say something. Neither happened, and the quiet stretched out until Kurt felt like he could almost hear Dave breathing on the other side of the door. The shadow moved, and he held his breath. But after a brief moment, the floorboards creaked again, and the shadow went away. Kurt exhaled, hearing Dave's bedroom door open and close as he rolled to his other side. No longer able to keep his eyes from closing, he fell in to a deep, dreamless sleep.

_**Soooo…anyone want to know what comes next? XD I'll give you a clue: smutsmutsmutsmutsmut**_

_**As always, reviews are so greatly appreciated! **_


	2. Chapter 2

_**I am so totally overwhelmed at the response to the first chapter of this story! Thank you all so very much. I'm sorry I haven't had time to respond to the reviews, and that this next installment took so freaking long. I had an incredibly busy week, but things should start settling down now. **_

_**Still, I hope that this chapter is at least somewhat worth the wait. Because it's smutty. Really, really smutty.**_

AC/DC's _Thunderstruck _blared out of Dave's clock radio at precisely five-fifteen am. He always kept it turned to 102.9 The Hog, since chances were they'd be playing something rather loud and aggressive when the alarm went off. Dave rolled over and pressed the snooze button, then lay on his back trying not to drift back off to sleep too deeply. Within what seemed like seconds, the alarm sounded again, and Dave knew he wasn't going to make it to work on time this morning. He forced himself to a sitting position, swiping at his tired eyes.

Dave left his bedroom and made his way to the living room, tiptoeing quietly past the guest bedroom door. He snagged his cell phone from where it was charging on the kitchen counter and brought up his supervisor's number in the contacts list. He was lucky that his employer was very understanding about his volunteer firefighting. If he was out late on a call, or if he was summoned from work, they were really good about letting him make up the time. In part, because it reflected well on them as a corporation in regards to community involvement; but mostly, it was because Dave was one of their most hard-working, valued employees. In fact, the only time he ever failed to come in as scheduled was because of his side job. Otherwise he not only showed up for his own shifts dependably, it wasn't uncommon for him to cover other people's if they called in sick or were on vacation.

His supervisor's voice mail picked up. "Hey, Tom, it's Dave. There was a big fire here in town overnight; you may have even seen it on the news this morning. Anyway, I didn't get in until after three am, so I'm going to take the morning off and catch up on some sleep. I'll do a half-day and be in at noon, and make up the time on Saturday if that's cool with you. See you later today." Dave clicked the volume on the phone down to silent, then went back down the hallway to try and get more sleep.

He automatically paused as he passed the doorway to his guest room, hyper-aware of the person inside it. After all this time, Kurt Hummel. It had taken all of Dave's training to not let on that he'd recognized Kurt up on that ledge, the moment he opened his mouth and that same high, breathy voice came out. He was as surprised to learn that Kurt was in Milwaukee as Kurt was that he was there. Dave didn't really believe in fate, but this seemed too weird and random to be a simple coincidence. It wasn't like he thought about Kurt often, but the smaller man was so inextricably tied in with Dave's sexuality, he'd came to the front of his mind off and on over the years. His first and only two kisses with a boy in high school had been with Kurt, so of course the first time he was kissed in college, he couldn't help but think about the earlier ones. Dave had finally come out a few months after starting at Marquette, with the help of the campus's Gay-Straight Alliance. And there was certainly nothing he associated more with Kurt than the subject of coming out. The boy's gentle encouragements; his failed attempt to push things at prom; the kiss that was supposed to be some sort of selling point of leaving the closet. That day Dave spoke up at the meeting, and told the rest of the group he was gayer than a box of Fruit Loops? His first thought was _I wonder what Kurt would think if he could see me now_.

Dave's thoughts were interrupted by muffled noises from behind the bedroom door. He wondered if maybe Kurt was having a nightmare, and pressed his ear to the wood. The heart-wrenching sobs coming from inside made his chest tighten, and his fingers instinctively brushed the door handle before pulling away. He stood there for a moment, then shrugged and knocked softly on the door. "Kurt?" he said in a quiet voice. "Everything okay in there?" The crying stopped for a moment, then continued, a little louder. "Can I come in?" Instead of a verbal response, the door opened a crack after a minute. Taking it as an invitation of some kind, Dave entered the room slowly. Kurt was sitting on the edge of the bed, weeping with his face buried in his hands. Dave felt helpless, not knowing what do to or say when Kurt finally lifted his head and met his eyes. The sadness, the despair in them...the clutch in his chest was moving upwards, becoming an uncomfortable lump at the base of his throat.

As exhausted as he'd been, Kurt had woken up a while ago and been unable to fall back asleep. His worries about what was going to happen ate at him; he didn't know if his apartment was a total loss, or if all of his things were gone now. The practical things were hard enough to think about losing. His clothes, his phone with all his contacts, the laptop with all of his information and paperwork for school. But there were pictures of his family, too, and a small quilt that had belonged to his mother. Those were irreplaceable. He didn't know where he was going to go after this. How was he going to show up at his classes in a little over a week and be able to focus at all. The longer he was awake, the more anxious and lost he felt, until he'd finally succumbed to the tears he'd been fighting since the fire. When Dave knocked on the door, Kurt wasn't sure he was going to let him in. Dave had already done so much, he hardly needed more of Kurt's drama. And he knew he was a teary, unattractive mess when he bawled like this. But in that moment he felt so utterly alone, the need to connect with another person took top priority.

Kurt looked at Dave, standing there by the door, appearing solid and strong in a soft looking black t-shirt and plaid jersey boxers. He found his voice, finally. "I'm sorry," he choked out. "Did I wake you? I was trying to be quiet."

"No," replied Dave, softly. "I had to get up and call in to work. Are you all right? Is there anything I can do?"

"I-" Kurt started, but it turned into another sob. He turned the top half of his body away from Dave and hid his face again, ashamed of being so weak and helpless. Of being such a fucking _crybaby_.

"Hey, hey," he heard Dave say, and the next thing he knew, Dave was kneeling on the floor next to the futon, and he was being gathered close and pressed into a broad, muscled chest. Kurt gave in easily to the comfort, burying his face in Dave's neck and throwing his arms around him. He cried and cried, letting all the tension and stress and fear out into Dave's warm embrace. Eventually his weeping slowed down, and he relaxed a little, sighing raggedly. He drew away from Dave's arms, with the start of a chagrined smile on his lips. It fell away, though, when he saw the intense, serious look on Dave's face. It reminded Kurt of how steady and strong he'd been when he rescued him from the fire, and he found himself wanting badly to yield that strength. He brought his face towards Dave's, closing his eyes and leaning in, but was stopped by a firm grasp on his shoulders.

Kurt opened his eyes. "Dave," he whispered, more than a hint of pleading coloring his words.

"No, Kurt," said Dave, averting his eyes.

He didn't know what Dave's hesitation was, but he found himself drawn towards the bigger man like there was a magnetic pull between them. He pressed forward again, only to be stopped in exactly the same manner. "I said _no_," Dave said roughly.

The rejection scraped over Kurt's already raw emotions, and tears filled his eyes. "Please, Dave," he begged. He'd lost everything else, why not his dignity and pride as well? He wanted to forget; to give himself over to pleasure, and the security of being cared for completely. He strained against the hands holding him off. "I want you," said Kurt, eyes wide and damp. "I _need_ you…I need _this_. Please…"

The minute Dave looked into Kurt's eyes after comforting him, he knew exactly what his unexpected houseguest wanted. Kurt's desire was immediate and obvious; he'd by lying to himself if he didn't admit how intoxicating it was, knowing that Kurt hungered for his touch. But the other man was vulnerable and upset, and likely not thinking straight. He'd already been the victim of Kurt's emotions getting the best of him, and he was determined not to be used and scorned by him again. It was all fine and dandy, until Kurt begged him. _Begged_ Dave to take him, to have all of his gorgeous, pale body. It was more than any man could resist, and he released Kurt's shoulders.

Kurt gasped at the feel of Dave's resistance disappearing. He leaned forward a third time, and this time their lips met successfully. Dave made the same whimpering noise that he had the first two times he and Kurt had kissed, but this time, the sound went right to Kurt's cock and stiffened it. Such a beautiful sound; why had he never noticed that before? Kurt prodded at the small space between Dave's lips with his tongue, slipping it inside and tangling it with the other man's. They grasped at each other desperately, and Kurt felt his legs rise up and fasten just above Dave's hips. Kurt rubbed his burgeoning erection against Dave's torso, and Dave's big hands flew to cup and squeeze his ass in response.

Dave could taste the salt of Kurt's tears, and the unique flavor of his mouth that he'd never been able to entirely forget. Their first kiss had been all Dave, and their second had been mostly Kurt. But this one had both of them participating equally, with both men bringing a level of experience neither of them had possessed in high school. Dave felt the hard ridge of Kurt's dick through his thin pajama bottoms easily, grinding against his abs is a most arousing way. He brought his hands to the cheeks of Kurt's ass and gripped them hard, feeling the rounded softness of the flesh beneath the fabric. He jerked Kurt towards him powerfully, then rose to his feet, still holding on securely. Kurt tightened his legs around him, and, still kissing passionately, Dave carried him down the hall and into his own room. His supplies were there, of course, but it was more than that. If he was going to have Kurt…no, if he was going _fuck_ Kurt, it would be in his bed. In the blankets and pillows that Dave slept in every night, Kurt's scent would linger long after the act was over. Dave tried not to think about why he wanted that so much.

Kurt moaned into Dave's mouth, turned on more than ever by how Dave carried him with those big arms, like he weighed nothing. This was exactly what he'd craved; for Dave to take care of him, to spare him from even the effort of walking down the hall under his own power. He'd never really considered himself to be an overly submissive lover, but the events of the previous night had him feeling as fragile as spun glass. But Dave would keep him safe, and shelter him – however temporarily – from his fear and sadness. Proving his point, Dave got Kurt into his bedroom without so much as a single stumble, or bump into a wall. Just a smooth glide from Kurt's room to his, ending with them standing directly at the side of Dave's bed. Dave put one knee on the mattress, easing Kurt back onto its surface until he was pressed deliciously between it and Dave's muscular bulk. He scrabbled at the hem of Dave's tee, pulling it up and thrilling at the feel of silky-rough body hair brushing against his hands as he worked it up. He kept pulling when the shirt was up to Dave's armpits, until finally Dave broke their kiss and allowed Kurt to pull the garment off him entirely. As soon as it was gone Dave was back in place, kissing Kurt and rubbing their bare chests together.

Dave ran his hand down Kurt's side, marveling at how soft and smooth the skin there was. He squeezed when he got to his hip, pulling Kurt even closer. As much as he was loving the closeness of their bodies pressed together front to front, Dave didn't think he'd be able to handle having sex with Kurt in the same position. It was too intimate, too intense for what Kurt wanted; simple comfort sex, a one-morning stand between fuck-buddies. Or whatever this was supposed to be. He didn't want Kurt to be able to see the myriad of emotions that were racing through him, or be haunted by the memories of Kurt's expressive face as Dave thrust inside him. He knew himself well enough to know that he would need to have some distance to see this through, without making it it into something it wasn't. He pulled his lower half away from Kurt's, and slid his hand forward to palm the other man's erection. Easily as hard as Dave, Kurt groaned as his length was stroked firmly. Dave withdrew from this kiss, licking his lips unintentionally, as if trying to continue savoring the taste of Kurt's mouth. "Turn over," he ordered, his voice rough and a little shaky.

Kurt stared at Dave for a long moment, then did as requested. He could feel Dave get off the bed, hear him rooting around in a drawer for what he imagined were condoms and lube. Looking down at the white pillow below him, he wondered what Dave's sex life was like. It seemed like he was prepared for an encounter when it arose; did that mean he was out now, and that being with men was a normal part of his life? Of course, condoms and lube weren't exclusively used for gay sex, now that he thought of it. Was it possible that Dave sometimes brought women home with him, and used the lubricant and condoms with them? And _what does it matter_, _Kurt?_ he asked himself. _He's doing what you want. He's giving you what you need. Didn't you learn anything four years ago? He's entitled to live his life however he chooses, without you judging him for it._

Dave turned back to the bed, dropping the small bottle and strip of condoms onto the bedspread next to Kurt's legs. He pushed his boxers down and stepped out of them, his cock bobbing up and extending towards the bed like it was leading the way. Climbing back on the mattress, Dave put two fingertips at the nape of Kurt's neck, drawing them down until they met the waistband of his pajama bottoms. Kurt shivered. Dave hooked his hands in the elastic and then drew the pants down steadily, watching intently as every inch of white, silky skin was revealed. When he reached Kurt's feet, he worked them off and tossed them to the floor. Kurt's body was flawless from this angle; from the surprisingly toned muscles of his shoulders, to the contrastingly near-feminine nip of his waist, to buttocks so taut and high, Dave had never seen anything like them outside of porn. He brought himself up and over Kurt's back, then followed the same trail his fingers had taken with his tongue. He heard Kurt gasp beneath him as he bathed every knob of his spine, working his way down slowly until he reached Kurt's tailbone. He paused to suck at the protrusion, laving down slightly into the crack of Kurt's ass, but nowhere far enough to come close to his entrance. Dave finally pulled away, making Kurt moan with a soft, parting bite to his left ass cheek. Straightening back up, he grabbed the lube and squirted some on his fingers.

Kurt had wanted Dave to make him forget, and boy, was he succeeding wildly. The fire, his possessions, school, his family…they all seemed a million miles away at that moment. There was nothing but the lust pumping through his veins, the hardness of his filled cock hanging heavy between his legs, and the touch of Dave's fingers and tongue. Everything else was distant, and became even more so when Dave brought slicked fingers to his hole and started to rub in firm circles. He let out a wordless "mmph!" at the sensation. Neither he nor Dave had spoken since entering the bedroom, as if they were too afraid to break the spell with words. Dave's big fingertips pressed against and massaged his opening, helping to relax the tight ring. While Kurt had been known to slip one of his own slim fingers inside his ass occasionally while masturbating, it had been over a year since Kurt had had anything really substantial in there. He winced at the burn as Dave's fingers finally penetrated him, thinking that _substantial_ certainly described the large, rough digits perfectly. Soon, though, the discomfort was overcome by pleasure as Dave worked two and then three fingers in, rotating and separating them in a way that had Kurt seeing bright spots in the corners of his eyes.

Either it had been a while for Kurt, or he just had an impossibly tight passage to match the rest of his perfection. Dave wasn't a slut by anyone's definition, but he'd had two boyfriends and a handful of hookups since coming out. He'd never thought of himself as very attractive in Lima, especially not to other dudes, but a few nights out at La Cage, Hybrid and some of the other gay bars in Milwaukee had proven that he was most definitely _some_ people's type. He'd even had a guy jump off a float during the PrideFest parade this year and run over to him, pressing a fast kiss to his lips and shoving a card with his phone number into Dave's cargo shorts. In any case, Dave mostly topped in bed, and Kurt's ass was by far the tightest he'd ever felt. He fingered Kurt vigorously and for a long while, but it seemed that he was only going to loosen so much no matter how much effort Dave put in. He hoped he'd be able to make Kurt come quickly, because he doubted he'd be able to last long himself once his dick was surrounded by that degree of snugness. _Time to put that theory to the test_, he thought. He withdrew his fingers, petting the small of Kurt's back with his clean hand when the smaller man whimpered at their exit. He took one of the condoms and rolled it on, adding lube and spreading it, then brought the tip of his cock to press against Kurt's puckered hole. "You ready?" he asked gruffly, finally breaking their mutual silence.

Kurt craned his head to the side, and nearly collapsed onto the mattress at the sight of Dave's powerful body behind him. He'd never had sex with anyone Dave's stature before; there had been Blaine, and then two one night stands with men built along similar lines. Dave loomed high above his pale ass, appearing dominant and completely in control. He knew in that moment that being fucked by Dave would be like nothing he'd ever experienced before, and Kurt trembled with anticipation. Unable to find his voice, he nodded and pushed back against Dave like a cat in heat. He was able to maintain eye contact with those hot hazel eyes until he felt Dave breach him. The feel of it was so overwhelming, he dropped his forehead into the pillow, crying out softly. Kurt felt strong, solid hands grip his hips, as Dave's turgid length was pushed in further, parting him with a pleasurable pain that was just short of intolerable. He tried to be quiet, not wanting Dave to stop, or think he was distressed; but he couldn't stop the whines that escaped as he was stretched open further than ever before.

Dave grunted as he worked his way through the resistance of Kurt's muscles. It was like nothing he'd ever felt; like having his prick trapped in a hot, damp, constricted vise. He felt like he must be nearly splitting Kurt in half, but as far as he could tell the noises he was making were definitely those of passion, not objection. He finally bottomed out, looking down at Kurt's hole stretched to the limit around him, pretty sure it was the hottest thing he'd ever seen. Taking a deep breath, he pulled out slightly and pushed back in, working Kurt's tightness over his erection and letting out a deep groan. Gradually building up speed and depth, within a few minutes he was rutting into Kurt in earnest, watching as the flesh of Kurt's ass rippled in waves every time he thrust in.

Kurt was trying his hardest not to buckle down on to the bed, to maintain his knees-and-elbows positioning while being pounded so furiously from behind. _Furiously_, thought Kurt, mindlessly. _He called his fist The Fury back then, but I think maybe his cock deserves the title more._ He didn't know if it was the sheer size of Dave's dick, or the way he used it, but he was being jarred and jolted in places he didn't even know existed before. _If he's been having sex with women, they must really be into anal. Because he's amazing at this._

Dave tried to keep himself distant from the fact that it was Kurt beneath him, keening and moaning as he pleasured him. He thought the doggy-style position would help with that, but instead all it did was bring back memories of his fantasies in high school. Of bending Kurt over the nearest available surface, and seeing if finally giving in to what he'd wanted for so long would feel as good as he thought it might. In those fantasies, Kurt had been just like this; needy, wanting, and thoroughly receptive to Dave's attentions. It crumbled Dave's best intentions to dust, and he gave in to his need to make things more intimate. Never stopping his thrusts, he fell forward onto his hands, so that his chest was touching every inch of Kurt's perspiration-slick back. The connection was electric, and it made both men gasp loudly. Dave's orgasm became even more imminent, and he knew he had to catch Kurt up if there were going to come anywhere near together. He began to suck at the patch of skin where Kurt's shoulder and neck met, and balanced on one hand to reach underneath and grasp his neglected erection with the other.

Kurt didn't think his desire could possibly ratchet up any higher than when he felt the friction of Dave's chest hair rasping over the sensitive skin of his back. The rough drag, synced up with every plunge of Dave's hips, set all of of his nerve endings on fire. But then his cock was surrounded by a warm, tight grip, and he nearly came on the spot. He managed to hold back, wanting what he was beginning to think might be the best sex he'd ever had to last, but just barely. Kurt pushed into Dave's fist, precome he hadn't even realized was there making a slippery glide that had him at the precipice within moments. He felt the burn in his lower belly rush to his balls, and came with a hoarse cry all over Dave's hand and onto the bedding beneath him.

The sound of Kurt reaching orgasm and clenching uncontrollably around his dick sent Dave over the edge. Still holding Kurt's softening prick, he drove into his ass three more times, with as much force as his muscular thighs could generate. On the third push he exploded, coming with a loud grunt and biting down on the skin sucked between his teeth. Kurt's knees finally gave out, and Dave followed him down, his weight pressing Kurt's lower half into the mattress. He took his mouth away from Kurt's neck, and wasn't entirely surprised to see that he'd marked the spot with a medium-sized purple hickey. He eased himself up, placing a hand at the base of his dick to hold the condom in place as he pulled out. Kurt hissed as he exited, and Dave tried to gentle his movements even further. He got up and walked over to the garbage can, disposing of the condom, and grabbed some tissues to clean off his hand with. When he turned back to the bed, he found that Kurt had rolled over onto his side, just to the left of the wet spot, and was looking at him with an expression Dave found difficult to interpret. It was soft and grateful, but at the same time, nervous; his hand perhaps unconsciously hiding his flaccid penis from sight.

"I need to get some sleep," said Dave, no longer able to stand the awkward silence. "I've got to be at work by noon."

"Oh," said Kurt. "I…yeah, I should get some too. Didn't sleep nearly as long as I thought I would." He looked down at the bed, and them back at Dave. "Should I…"he trailed off, licking his lips. "Should I go back to the guest room?" He hated how small and nearly pitiful his voice sounded.

Dave looked down at Kurt, whose obvious vulnerability was only made more so by his nudity. He took a deep breath and sighed. "If you want to," Dave said. He honestly didn't know what response he wanted to hear from Kurt. _Goddamn sex always complicates things_, he thought, but knew it was a little late to start worrying about that.

Kurt knew he probably should go back to his own room. _You've already imposed on Dave so much, he thought. He gave you a place to stay, and comforted you while you cried. He put out for you, even though he tried to say no at first. Sure, he probably enjoyed it, but still, Kurt. He did it for you. Needy, self-centered you. _ He opened up his mouth to say he was leaving, but what came out instead was "I don't want to. If that's okay with you, I mean."

Apparently, that was the response Dave was hoping for, because he felt a small twinge of relief at Kurt's words. "Yeah, it's fine," he said quietly. "I mean, you're already here, right?" He walked over to the alarm and set it for ten-thirty. Returning to the bed, he tugged at the comforter. Kurt slipped off of it and underneath the sheets, so that Dave could toss the stained bedding to the floor. Dave then laid down on the mattress, pulling the cotton top sheet over himself.

The two men lay on their backs in silence for a moment, before Kurt rolled over onto his side, away from Dave. He curled up slightly, beginning to drift off even sooner than he thought. But right before he slid into unconsciousness, he felt Dave's big arm work its way under his neck, and once again felt the texture and heat of his hairy, muscular chest against his back. Kurt let out a breathy hum of pleasure, and heard an answering rumble from Dave, before sleep overtook him completely.

_**Thanks so much to everyone for your reviews and patience! I'd love to know what you think about this chapter. I promise the muse will work faster on the next one, and as you know, reviews really help that along. XD**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**I'm so glad you guys all thought the long wait for the last chapter was worth it. :) In the interest of not making you wait that long again, here's #3. Holy crap it's longer that I thought it would be. And there's porn in this one too – wheeeee!**_

When Kurt woke up, he was all alone in the bed. He could hear the shower running, and figured he must have somehow slept through the alarm. He also surmised that it was Dave in the shower, even though Kurt knew he'd taken one just hours before. He flushed, thinking about what had gotten Dave so dirty and sweaty that he'd need to bathe twice in less than twenty-four hours. Kurt got up and put on his pajama bottoms, wanting to give Dave some privacy when he got out of the shower. He left, stopping by the guest room on his way to put on the big t-shirt Dave had lent him. When he'd first put the shirt on, he hadn't thought much about it, but now there was another dimension to it. Instead of merely wearing a borrowed shirt from an old acquaintance, he was now wearing his lover's clothing, and he felt a curl of warmth thinking about it that way. Shaking off the stir of desire, he went into the living room and sat on the couch.

Kurt didn't want to be rude, or presumptuous, so he didn't bother turning on the TV or making coffee. Instead he sat quietly, listening to the sounds of Dave leaving the bathroom and rustling about behind the closed bedroom door. He could see from the clock on the cable box that it was just before eleven am. At eleven oh five, Dave walked into the living room wearing khaki cargo pants and a blue polo shirt with a subtle red stripe. He held a small bundle of clothing in his hands, and stopped short when he saw Kurt sitting silently on the couch. He looked at Kurt for a long moment, and Kurt would have given anything to know what he was thinking. Dave's face gave nothing away. Finally, he spoke. "Here," Dave said, holding out the clothes. "It's not much, but the shorts have a drawstring, so they should fit you. I shrunk the shirt last month on accident. And I put a pair of boxers in there too, if you wanted them. I know it's weird wearing another dude's underwear, but I didn't have any unused ones around."

Kurt wisely made no comment on the fact that he'd had way more intimate contact with Dave than simply wearing his boxer shorts. Instead, he took the clothes with a small smile. "Thank you," he said. "I think they'll work just fine." Dave ran a hand through his freshly washed hair. It was longer than back in high school, and curled slightly around temples. Kurt refocused as he realized Dave was speaking to him again.

"…breakfast? I've got English muffins and some peanut butter. And cereal. I'm not much of a bacon and egg guy, unless someone else is cooking it."

"Sure," said Kurt. He really was quite hungry. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"You could make coffee," said Dave. "It's in the green jar in the freezer. One scoop for every two cups."

They moved around the small kitchen together, and Kurt was beginning to think that maybe they could just pretend like nothing had happened. But then he turned around a little too quickly, not realizing that Dave was right behind him. Their chests bumped together, and Kurt looked up to find Dave looking at him with an expression that indicated he remembered _everything_ about that morning, very clearly. Dave opened up his mouth to say something, but then the toaster popped up and the noise seemed to break the tension immediately. Kurt busied himself pouring two cups of coffee, and soon he and Dave were sitting at the dining room table, things ostensibly back to normal. _Or at least_, Kurt thought, _as normal as it can get when your high school bully rescues you from a burning building, then takes you home and bangs the shit out of you_. He puffed a tiny snort of laughter out of his nose, then dug into his peanut butter-slathered English muffin.

Dave raised an eyebrow at him, but didn't ask about his small show of mirth. He took a bite of Frosted Mini-Wheats instead. "So, help yourself to anything you need while I'm gone," he said, after swallowing. "I've got a land line, so you can make any phone calls that you need to. Don't worry about the long distance if you call Lima, it's no big deal. I booted up my laptop, so you can use your email too. There's a post-it on the screen with my cell and work numbers if you need to get in touch with me. And I've got Netflix through my Wii if you want to watch a movie."

Kurt wasn't sure what had happened to Dave between high school and today, but in those calm words he once again saw the strong, centered man that he'd become. Not a trace of the scared, unsure teenager remained, at least as far as Kurt could see. "Thank you," Kurt said. "I'll try to get some things straightened out while you're gone. I don't want to overstay my welcome, I promise."

"You can stay as long as you need to," said Dave, surprising Kurt. "I'll try to call the Fire Marshall from work, and see what the status is on your building." He stood up and brought his empty bowl over to the sink and started to rinse it out. "I get home around four-thirty."

Kurt stuffed the rest of the English muffin into his mouth, and brought his plate over quickly. "Let me do that," he said, nodding at the sink. "It's the least I can do."

Dave withdrew his hands from the sink, wiping them on a dish towel. "Thanks," he said, turning to Kurt. A broad and adorable smile appeared on his face. "You, ah…you've got peanut butter on your face."

"I do? Where?" said Kurt, swiping at his cheeks self-consciously. Dave reached out with his hand, and Kurt stilled as it approached.

Dave's thumb wiped gently at the corner of Kurt's mouth. Kurt's lips parted as his hand drew away, and they both looked at the dab of peanut butter on the side of his wide thumb. "I got it," said Dave, quietly. He caught Kurt's gaze, and they shared a heated look. Dave brought his thumb to his own mouth and licked the peanut butter off of it. Kurt felt a frission of excitement pulse through him, and fought successfully not to take that thumb in his mouth and suck on it like a popsicle. Dave must have realized how sexual the gesture was, though, because he backed away quickly. "Right," he said. "I gotta go. See you later this afternoon, Kurt." He exited the kitchen, and a moment later Kurt heard the front door open and close.

Dave arrived at work to find that a shipment from Germany had come in damaged, and spent most of the afternoon trying to track down where in the chain of delivery it had happened. As usual, everyone was trying to pass the buck - the delivery company blamed the supplier, the supplier blamed the delivery company, and both suggested that perhaps Brady's employees had caused the damage unpacking the shipments. It was a real headache, one that happened at least a couple of times a month, and Dave knew he had to talk to Tom once again about going to management to see if they could change shipping companies temporarily to try and isolate the source of the problem.

But at least the crisis helped him not be totally distracted by thoughts of who was at his house right now. Who he'd had some pretty fucking incredible sex with less than twelve hours ago. He never thought he'd even _see_ Kurt again, let alone have him in his bed. Writhing and moaning beneath him, as Dave plowed into him over and over. He shook his head to clear it of the mental images and picked up the phone to chew out someone one level up from the last moron he'd talked to at the supplier. When he got their voice mail, he left a terse message and hung up. Staring at the phone, he took out his cell and brought up the number of the Fire Marshall. Sighing, he dialed the number.

A couple of hours later, after a quick stop at Menards on the way, Dave let himself into his apartment. The first thing that hit him was the smell of something really delicious, which was not something he'd ever experienced before upon coming home from work. "Kurt?" he called out.

Kurt bustled out of the kitchen, smiling. "Hi Dave," he said. "Did work go okay for you today?"

"Yeah, it was fine," he answered. "What's that smell?"

A brief flush of pink stained Kurt's cheeks. "I hope you don't mind, but I thought I'd make dinner," he said. You had some jar sauce and a bag of frozen vegetables, and I found spaghetti in the cupboard. So I threw together a quick pasta Primavera." At Dave's wide eyes and silence, he bit his lip nervously. "I'm sorry if I overstepped. I just really appreciate you letting me stay here, and I thought it might be an okay way to say thank you. I probably should have called and asked you first."

Dave was completely and utterly thrown by the domesticity of the moment. It was strange having Kurt in his house. It was _really_ strange that he'd actually slept with him. But finding Kurt with dinner waiting when he got home from a hard day at work, and greeting him while wearing Dave's oversized clothes? It was bizarre. All that was missing was Kurt holding a martini glass out to him in one hand, and his slippers in the other. It took him a while to work his way out of his daze, and when he did he was dismayed to find that Kurt looked absolutely mortified. _Oh crap_. "No!" he said, a little too quickly and loudly. "It's fine...great, really. I was just surprised, that's all. It was a great idea."

"Oh," said Kurt, relieved. "Good, then. It'll be ready in about fifteen minutes. Or if you're not hungry yet, it can sit a while."

"No, that works," Dave said. "I'm used to having breakfast and lunch by now, so since I only got one meal today I'm starving. I'll just go wash up." He started towards his bedroom, then stopped and turned back. "Thanks, Kurt. This was really, really nice of you." Kurt beamed at him in response, and Dave felt a weird twinge in his belly at how pleased the other man seemed. Not unpleasant, necessarily; just...weird. He went to the bedroom to change out of his work clothes into jean shorts and a Packers t-shirt. He noticed that the bed was re-made, less the comforter. Dave thought about Kurt neatly making the bed that they'd screwed their brains out in. Maybe he'd put the top blanket back on initially, only to change his mind when he saw the drying patch of his own come on it. Had he thought about what they'd done, then, like Dave had off and on all day? Remembered what it had felt like to spill over Dave's hand, clenching around his hard, invasive cock as he did? Speaking of which, Dave felt the organ in question started to swell slightly, and not for the first time since leaving for work. He put his face in his hands and scrubbed, trying to pull himself together. It had been a while for him since the last time he'd taken a man to bed, but he knew that wasn't the reason he was finding it so hard to get over the encounter. Despite his best efforts, having sex with Kurt had been special. Unforgettable. _God help me_, he thought.

Figuring at least fifteen minutes had gone by, Dave went back into the living room, where his dining room table was located in a slight nook off to the side. It was set with plates and silverware, and there was a big bowl of pasta in the center along with his salt and pepper shakers, and a green container of Parmesan cheese. Kurt came out of the kitchen as he entered, putting glass of water next to one of the place settings. "Can I get you something to drink?" he asked Dave.

Kurt's hair looked incredibly shiny and soft, though it laid simply against his head instead of being styled elaborately like back in high school. Dave figured he must have taken a shower, and the only hair product in his house was a giant bottle of all-in-one conditioner from Sam's Club. Kurt looked much younger than twenty-two, almost like a teenager again. Which was not helping Dave to focus in the least. "I think I'd like a beer," Dave said. "They're in the door of the fridge."

"I saw them," said Kurt, going back into the kitchen. "Go ahead and start; don't wait on me." As Dave piled pasta into his plate, he heard the hiss and clink of a beer being opened. Kurt reentered with a bottle of Dave's favorite microbrew, Ale Asylum's Madtown Nutbrown, and set it in front of him. He spooned spaghetti onto his own plate, then sat across from Dave, obviously waiting for him to take the first bite.

Dave sprinkled some of the cheese onto his pasta and forked some up, making sure he got a couple of the veggies along with it. He was surprised at how absolutely delicious it tasted. Dave always bought the same jar sauce, but it had never tasted like this before. He figured Kurt had just thrown the vegetables in with the pasta and called it a day, but he'd obviously done something else to it. "This is awesome," he said, after swallowing. "How did you do this? There's not a grocery store within walking distance."

"You had an onion in your crisper that looked pretty fresh," Kurt said. "I caramelized some, before adding it to the vegetables. And I saw you had a spice rack, even though everything in it was still shrink-wrapped. It's amazing what a little basil, oregano and red pepper flakes can do."

"Oh yeah," said Dave. "Some of the girls at the warehouse got together and went in on it as a housewarming present. It was thoughtful of them, but I don't cook much, other than to throw some burgers or brats on the grill."

"Brats?" asked Kurt.

"Welcome to Wisconsin," Dave said with a grin. "Brats are the state food, practically. It's bratwurst – a sausage – simmered in butter, beer and onions, then grilled a little to give them a nice char. You serve them on a soft bun with mustard and onions, and sauerkraut if you're into that." He laughed at the face Kurt made. "No 'kraut for you? I'm surprised. Isn't Hummel a German name?"

"I think the last Hummel actually from Germany came over on the boat many generations ago," Kurt said with an answering smile. "We didn't eat much in the way of German food when I was growing up. My dad never really cooked anything that didn't come out of a can or a box, at least until I got older and showed him a few things. And while Carole was a great cook, it was straight-up American meat and potatoes all the way with her. That was one of the things I liked about living in New York; all that international cuisine all around me, any time I wanted it."

"Milwaukee has a lot of international restaurants," said Dave, "So you're in luck there. Mexican, Japanese, Vietmenese, Indian…there's even an Ethiopian restaurant downtown. Not that I've ever been to it." The casual conversation about food, combined with Kurt's warm responses, had Dave feeling more comfortable with the other man than since bringing him home. "So, speaking of Milwaukee," he started. "What brings you here? You mentioned grad school? I thought you went to college in New York to become a performer. Are they offering a Master's in "Big Broadway Star" at UWM now?" asked Dave, making quotation marks in the air with his fingers playfully.

"_No_," said Kurt, with an equally light tone. "I did start NYU thinking I wanted to be a professional actor and singer. We all did – me, Rachel and Blaine. But then in my junior year, I took a class in Music Therapy as an elective, and something just clicked. The professor said that music therapists make music _with_ people, not _for _people. And for the first time ever, I started thinking that maybe there was more to me than just wanting to be the center of attention. A star." He sipped from his water glass, holding Dave's gaze. When he spoke again, his tone was more serious. "Back at McKinley, that was what being in glee was all about, when you got right down to it. We all loved the excitement of performing, and the attention we got when our numbers were well received. But the reason we put up with all the loser crap? It was because the music helped each one of us to feel things, or say things, or deal with things in a way that we couldn't have otherwise. When I thought my dad was going to die, I could barely talk about how scared I was. How much I needed and loved him, and couldn't bear to think about what life would be like without him. But I could _sing_ about it, and it helped me get through that terrible time."

Dave looked down at his plate for a moment. He remembered how, a few weeks before the second locker room kiss, Kurt had encouraged him to join glee club. _Maybe some of the things you don't feel like you could talk about, you could express through song_, he remembered Kurt saying to him. He'd brushed the other boy off, once again annoyed by Kurt's insistence once again that he come out. But hearing Kurt talk about his dad, and how singing had helped him so much…well, maybe he hadn't given him enough credit. Maybe he really did truly want Dave to feel better, and wasn't solely focused on his resulting exit from the closet. He looked back up at Kurt, and could tell they were thinking about the same thing.

"So," Kurt said briskly, bringing them back to the present. "I finished my Bachelor's in Music, but made sure I took a few Psychology classes over the next two years. At the beginning of last year I started looking at graduate schools that offered a Master's in Music Therapy, and wound up at UWM. They have a wonderful program, and offered me both a scholarship and stipend as a grad assistant. I wanted to do NYU's program, but it's very competitive, and I would have had to pay the whole thing out of pocket. And just living in the city is outrageously expensive. So even though I had to leave Blaine and Rachel behind, I knew it was the right thing to do."

"Are you and Blaine still…" Dave trailed off, becoming uncomfortable. Had he helped Kurt cheat on his boyfriend? It had never occurred to him that Kurt might be with someone, while at the same time asking Dave to make love to him.

"No, we broke up the summer before senior year," Kurt said. "We knew there was a good chance that I'd have to move away after graduation. And even if I'd stayed, it would have been hard for us. Me going to classes all the time and studying, needing plenty of sleep; while he pounded the pavement auditioning, and performing well into the night. We knew we were going in two different directions, and just decided to make the break before it turned into anger and resentment. That way, we could still stay friends, at least."

Dave nodded, relieved. Not that it was really his business if Kurt cheated on Blaine, but he generally tried to stay away from anyone who was currently in a relationship. He didn't want any part of being a homewrecker, or being used to hurt another person. He looked at the table to see that he and Kurt had eaten every morsel of the pasta Primavera. "Thanks again for dinner, Kurt," he said, standing up and starting to clear the table. "It's one of the best things I've ever eaten in my own home."

"You're welcome," responded Kurt. "But like I said earlier, it's the least I can do for everything that you've done for me. I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't let me stay here. I was such a hot mess last night." He laughed softly, shaking his head.

Dave froze a little, though he didn't know why. Kurt _was_ a mess the night before, weeping and begging his former mortal enemy to fuck him senseless. But somehow Kurt acknowledging how out of control he'd been made his chest hurt slightly. He put his hand in his pocket, feeling the small piece of metal inside. Maybe this wasn't a good idea after all…

"Dave, are you okay?" asked Kurt. "You're so quiet all the sudden." He looked at Dave with soft concern, just like he'd done so many times in their later years at McKinley.

"Yeah, sure," Dave said. _Fuck it_, he thought, pulling the object out. "Here. I thought you might want this, if you're going to be staying with me. You shouldn't have to be trapped inside every day."

Kurt stared at the shiny silver key like he'd never seen one before. "Oh," he said in a near whisper, making no move to take it. "Um, that's really nice of you," he said nervously. "But…I might not need it after all."

Dave's arm dropped, and his stomach followed at Kurt's words. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Well, I talked to my Dad today," said Kurt. "He was freaked out at first and wanted me to come home. Of course I explained that I couldn't do that, that I had a new life here that I didn't intend on abandoning just because of some random bad luck. He wasn't happy, but he understood." He paused. "So he's FedExing me some stuff overnight. A little cash, copies of my birth certificate and social security card, a pre-paid cell phone, and a few outfits and pair of shoes I left behind. He's going to wire me a couple of thousand dollars, so I can get a motel and maybe rent a car until I get things sorted out. He was even going to go to the DMV and see if he could pressure them into printing another driver's license for me. I'll need to stay tonight, if that's still okay. But I was going to use the cash to take a cab to Western Union tomorrow, and once I have that money, I should be fine."

Dave felt his fist clench around the key, until the serrated edge cut into his fingers. "Of course," he said, completely devoid of emotion. "I talked to the Fire Marshall's office today."

"Really?" asked Kurt. "What did they say?"

"The first and second floors are a complete loss," said Dave. "He won't even let anyone on the second floor, since it's likely the beams could collapse at any moment." Kurt closed his eyes and inhaled, trying to center himself. Dave continued. "The third floor has a lot of smoke damage, but only a little fire damage. The landlord hired a company to go in and collect everyone's belongings, and the Marshall will let them on the third floor as long as they go in by ladder. You'll have to call your landlord to see when it'll happen and where to pick up your things, but they're cleared to go in as soon as tomorrow."

"Wow," said Kurt. "That's so much better than I expected. I mean, it looks like I'll have to find a new apartment, but if my stuff's mostly okay, I think I can deal with that. The smoke damage might not even be too bad overall, since a lot of my things are still packed and taped up tight in boxes."

"Sounds stupid to say you got lucky," said Dave. "But based on what I've seen since I've been volunteering, you are. You'll bounce back from this a lot faster than most people who have been in a fire this bad." And that was a good thing, he told himself. Sure, he'd fallen into the thought pattern that Kurt was helpless, and needed Dave to rescue him. But now that the worst of the crisis was over, surely he wasn't selfish enough to be _disappointed _that Kurt's would be just fine on his own after all. He set the key down on the table, and forced himself to smile. "We should celebrate a little," Dave said. "How about I take you out for your first Milwaukee custard?"

"Custard?" said Kurt, looking confused. "You mean, like pudding?"

Dave laughed, and this time his smile was genuine. "No, frozen custard. It's like soft ice cream, but about a thousand times better. There's hardly any air in it, and it's got a lot more buttercream in it than regular ice cream. Most places do vanilla and chocolate, then one or two special flavors every day." He shrugged his big shoulders. "It's a thing."

"Sounds like a yummy thing," said Kurt. "I'd love to."

They dumped the dishes in the sink and headed out in Dave's car. "Now," said Dave, as Kurt strapped himself in, "you need to understand that who has the best custard in Milwaukee is something near riots have broken out over. But we're going to _my_ favorite, which is Kopp's." They only drove about five minutes before Dave pulled into a packed parking lot. A line extended out the door of the squat, dome-roofed building.

Dave and Kurt got in line, which luckily moved quickly. When they got inside it was cool with air conditioning, and Kurt was surprised to see that the help was dressed in old fashioned, entirely white uniforms. As they got closer to the order window, Kurt looked up at the board that listed the flavors. Along with chocolate and vanilla, he saw Cherry Amaretto Cheesecake and Grizzly Bear. His mouth watered at the sound of the first, but was puzzled by the second. "What's that?" he asked, pointing at the sign.

"They've got Grizzly Bear today?" asked Dave, his lips curling up in a smile. "Mmmm. That's one of my favorites. It's chocolate with butterscotch swirl, and fudge covered peanuts." He was surprised when Kurt laughed, clapping a hand over his mouth like he hadn't meant to do it. "What?" he asked, curious.

"Nothing," mumbled Kurt, cheeks reddening.

"No really," said Dave, nudging Kurt with his elbow slightly. "Dude, you can't crack up on a person like that and then hold out on them." He raised an expectant eyebrow.

Kurt sighed, hoping Dave wouldn't be offended. "I just thought it was kind of fitting," he said quietly.

"What?"

"That someone like you," said Kurt, "would have a favorite flavor with the word 'bear' in it." Dave stared at him for a moment blankly, and Kurt's heart sank. _When will you ever learn to shut up when it comes to Dave Karofsky?_, he scolded himself. He was wishing for a hole to open up in the floor to be swallowed by; when Dave's expressionless face broke into a grin, and he started laughing loudly. It was a big, booming sound that caused a few people to look their way momentarily. Kurt had never, even back in school, heard such a free and happy noise come from Dave. It made him feel warm all over, and a little tingly too.

Dave finally stopped laughing, wiping the corner of his eyes. "I can't believe none of my friends have ever called me out on that before," he said. He was still chuckling as he reached the counter. "I'll have a scoop of the vanilla and one of the Grizzly Bear. The comedian here," he said, gesturing with his thumb at Kurt, "will have a chocolate and a Cherry Amaretto Cheesecake." As the teen stepped away to scoop their custard, he turned to Kurt. "Is that okay with you? I figured that way, we could share and you'd be able to try all of them."

"Sounds great," said Kurt, watching as Dave took out his wallet and paid for their order. They walked back to the car and got inside, and Dave rolled down the windows instead of turning on the a/c. The humidity had finally broken, and it was shaping up to be a nice evening. A slight breeze went through the car as they began to eat.

The first bite of the cheesecake custard was like an epiphany for Kurt. He though he'd had good ice cream before, but this stuff made even Hagen Daaz or Ben & Jerry's taste like the fifty cent soft serve at McDonalds. The Amaretto frozen custard was creamy and rich, with perfectly textured chunks of cheesecake. And the cherries were fresh, not that icky pie filling goo. "Oh my God," he said, looking at Dave with wide, stunned eyes. "I've never tasted anything like this. It's incredible." He dived in for a bite of the chocolate and moaned in pleasure.

"I know, right?" said Dave, spooning up some Grizzly Bear. "The first time one of my friends brought me here, I thought I might have died and gone to heaven." He smiled at the memory. "Lukas grew up around here, and he was kind of appalled I'd never had custard before."

"Speaking of your friends…" said Kurt, trailing off.

"What about them?"

Kurt hesitated. He really wanted to know, but at the same time he didn't want to sound like the broken record he'd been in high school. He sighed, giving in. "You said you were surprised none of your friends called you out on the bear thing. Does that mean they know? About…?"

Dave leaned over and swiped some vanilla from Kurt's cup. "You asking me if I'm out now, Hummel?" he said, one corner of his lip quirking up in a smirk. "I'm surprised it took you this long."

"I know I've never been able to apologize for it before," said Kurt, "but I'm so sorry I wouldn't let up on you about coming out at McKinley. It wasn't fair, and even more importantly, it wasn't my business. Being able to decide for yourself when the right time is…it's crucial for every gay person, if they're going to try and move forward in a healthy way. I'm sorry I wasn't objective enough, or mature enough to realize that back then." He took another bite of custard so he wouldn't keep talking, and inadvertently screw up his apology.

Dave grew serious for a moment. "Look, you were a kid," he said. "A sheltered, pain-in-the-ass kid, for sure. But a kid. I know the only experience you had on the subject was yourself and Blaine, and coming out seemed to work out okay for both of you. It makes sense that you'd think it wouldn't be such a bad idea for me to follow in your footsteps. It's not an excuse, but it _is_ a reason, and I can understand that now. So I accept your apology. God knows you've accepted mine for much worse."

"Thanks," said Kurt, simply. He knew he'd felt guilty about the way he'd treated Dave, but even he wasn't prepared for the wave of relief that washed through him. It had apparently been weighing on him heavier than he thought.

"But to answer your question," Dave said, picking up the conversation where they left off, "I am out, for the most part. I keep it separate from work, because it's a pretty conservative atmosphere there, and I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable. They probably know, or suspect, since I mention going out and dating, but I've never talked about girls or a girl specifically. I like my co-workers, but I'm not really that close to any of them. If I see them outside of work, it's usually still work-related, like the company picnic or softball games. But if anyone asked me about it, I wouldn't lie. Personally, I don't think many of them want to know, and that's fine with me." He paused to scoop out the last of his custard. "Now, with my friends and family? That's a completely different story. I go to the gay bars, we all go to the Pride Parade and PrideFest every year. I go to a lot of the community events, and I've got more gay friends than straight at this point. This past Thanksgiving, I brought my boyfriend at the time, Ethan, back to Lima to meet my family."

"So your Dad knows?" said Kurt.

"Yep. I told him the first summer I came home from Marquette. He was surprised at first, but then he said that in retrospect it made a lot of sense. He asked if that was why I'd bullied you specifically, so I wound up telling him everything that happened between you and me. Including both kisses. He's not in love with the fact that I'm gay, and I know he kinda wishes I wasn't, but he's supportive. I do have a few family members that weren't, and he told them that if they didn't accept me, they weren't going to be part of his life anymore. He does have a brother that couldn't deal with it, so he no longer has any contact with Uncle Jim. But most of them sucked it up, and my cousin Kat – she's a fourteen year old goth/punk princess who loves anime – well, she actually thinks it's the coolest thing ever." Dave laughed. "She asked if she could watch Ethan and I kiss each other, it was hilarious. She likes not feeling like the only fringe member of the Karofsky clan, so we stay in touch through Facebook. She's a great kid."

"I'm glad you're happy now, Dave," said Kurt. It felt good, to know how and why Dave had become the man he was now. "Whenever I thought of you after graduation, I always hoped you would be."

"You might not have been on the right track about the timing," said Dave, "but you were right when you said coming out would make things better for me. It was a hard thing to do, even when it was just saying it to other gay kids at college. But the more people I told, the easier it got, and now it's almost hard for me to even remember what it was like, being so scared and angry all the time. You know, Santana once told me that I'd wind up as some conservative, family values-spewing prick; with a suburban wife and kids, but fucking around with pretty twinks secretly on the side."

"That's Santana for you," said Kurt. "The soul of empathy." He rolled his eyes.

"Hey," said Dave, frowning a little. "She may have been a bitch, but she wasn't stupid. If I hadn't gotten up the nerve to leave Lima, I think that's probably what would have happened to me. If I didn't kill myself first, of course."

"Dave…" said Kurt, his throat tightening.

Dave continued, collecting their plastic spoons and empty cups. "But that's not what happened. I knew even back in high school that I'd probably come out if I could get away, somewhere where no one knew me, or had any expectations based on who I was back there. Especially if it were a bigger city, someplace with more than a handful of out gay people. It's why I decided to go to community college in Lima first. I wasn't mentally or emotionally ready for a fresh start right out of high school." He reached for the door handle. "I'm just going to go toss these, and then we can get going. It's still early, though. How would you like it if we took a drive around Milwaukee? Get you a little more familiar with how everything's laid out?"

"That would be wonderful," said Kurt. "Are you sure you don't mind?"

"Nah, it's cool," said Dave. "I like to drive. I'll be right back." He walked over to one of the trash cans and disposed of their garbage. He was glad that he and Kurt had been able to talk about a lot of the things that had been left hanging for so long. In this new life that he had built for himself, he had one motto: _No Regrets_. It was nice to be able to apply that to some of his baggage with Kurt, finally.

Dave got back into the car and sat behind the wheel. "All set?" he asked Kurt.

"In a minute," said Kurt, unexpectedly. "I just wanted to say something first." He reached out and carefully, gently laid his hand over Dave's where it lay on the wheel. Dave looked from their hands to Kurt's eyes, and his face was soft and a little wondering. "I think you're an amazing man, Dave. Even if you hadn't rescued me, or let me stay with you, or…done what I asked you to do this morning." He blushed, but kept going. "If none of that ever happened, and we just ran into each other again, maybe at one of the bars you were talking about. What you've done with your life, where it is now and where you are now is incredible. I once called you ordinary – _extraordinarily _ordinary – but I've never been so wrong about anything in my life. You're a very special person, and I'm sorry if I ever treated you as anything but." He gave Dave's hand a small squeeze before slipping his off. "And now, if you would be so kind, I'd love to have the first official tour of my new city."

Dave stared at Kurt as he watched him buckle himself in, then faced forward with a small smile, waiting patiently for Dave to start driving. Which took a couple of minutes, as it turned out. Dave felt like maybe he should do something or say something to acknowledge Kurt's speech, but he just couldn't make any words come. There didn't seem to be any that would even come close to capturing his feelings at that moment, so instead he buckled his own belt put the car into drive.

They drove down to the trendy and expensive Third Ward first, where the Milwaukee Public Market was located. They then took Lake Shore Drive along Lake Michigan, where Dave pointed out the architectural marvel of the art museum ("It was in Transformers 3!") and the grounds where PrideFest, SummerFest, and a plethora of ethnic festivals took place each summer. Dave drove to the area around National and Second Street, and Kurt could see why when he noticed the rainbow flags hanging from several storefronts. After hitting the area directly around UWM, where Kurt would be going to school, Dave got out onto the expressway to show him the Miller Park baseball stadium; the glass domes of the Botanical Gardens; Potowatami Casino; and finally, State Fair Park, where the Wisconsin State Fair was held each August ("Seriously, dude, the cream puffs are better than frozen custard.") It was beginning to get dark, and Dave looked at his dashboard clock to see that it was nearly nine pm. "We should head back," said Dave. "I've got work in the morning. And you've got a busy day ahead of you too." He winced at the disappointment he could hear tinging his words.

The drive back to Dave's house was quiet, in contrast to the lively chatter that had taken place during the tour. They entered the house silently, as Dave locked the front door behind him. Dave and Kurt stood in the dim living room, the only light coming from the kitchen fixture that they'd forgotten to turn off before leaving. Dave could see the gleam of the key on his dining room table catch the light, and sighed. He was about to say goodnight to Kurt - had actually opened his mouth to say it - when Kurt stepped forward and pressed his lips to Dave's in a firm kiss. Dave made a noise somewhere between a sob and a sigh, bringing his hands to Kurt's waist as returned the kiss.

Kurt detached their lips after a moment, so they could both catch their breath. "I love it when you make that sound," he said, panting. "It's so sexy." Kurt moved his hand down to Dave's ass and squeezed. "I want you tonight, Dave. I want to make you feel good."

Dave brought his hand to Kurt's cheek. "I don't know if that's such a good idea," he said. "This morning was-"

Kurt cut him off. "This morning was amazing," he said. "But it was about pain, and comfort. And maybe even a little pity."

"No," said Dave, shortly. "I don't know exactly what that was, but it wasn't a pity fuck. I could never _pity_ you, Kurt. Not ever."

"Well, that's good," Kurt said, smiling softly. "But regardless, it was a means to an end. For both of us, I think. But if you let me be with you tonight, I'll show you how different it could be between us. With both of us on equal footing, and me giving as much as taking this time around." He could tell Dave was wavering, and went in for the kill. "I hardly even got to see you naked," he said, bringing his hand around and brushing against the erection starting to rise against Dave's shorts. "I didn't get to see your cock, when it was hard like this. But based on what I felt inside me, I want to see it. To touch it, and taste it, and take it into me again." He kissed Dave again, their tongues twining together hotly. "I won't beg you this time," Kurt said, pulling away after a few moments. "But I will ask you. Will you take me to your bed again, Dave?"

Dave knew he'd never had a chance. "Fuck, yes," he rasped out, grabbing Kurt to him and kissing him passionately. He thrust up against Kurt, and could feel a hard bulge in the other man's shorts. "Come on," he said, breaking the kiss and tugging him down the dark hallway to his room. Once there, they both set themselves to the task of removing each other's clothes as quickly as possible. When all the garments were shed, and they were both nude, Dave pulled Kurt to him and started walking towards the bed. When the back of Kurt's knees hit the side of the mattress, he sat down. Dave lifted him, shifting him further back and pressed him against the cool sheets.

They'd been in this position just hours before, but the energy was completely different. Kurt was just as responsive, but the quiet desperation in his movements and vocalizations was missing entirely. Instead, he hummed warmly at Dave's gentle touches, and let himself speak when he felt the need. "Yes, Dave…that feels so good," he cooed. "Love your big, strong hands on me." Wrapping one lean, toned leg around Dave's hip, he pushed up forcefully and managed to topple the bigger man over onto his back. Straddling his pelvis, Kurt sat up and ground their erections together, running his hands over Dave's furred chest. "God, you're so hot," Kurt said, his fingertips catching on Dave's flat, copper nipples. "Never had anyone like you before. So beautiful." He bent over, bringing his lips to kiss and nibble and lick his way down Dave's body.

Dave looked down at Kurt, seeing little except his soft hair, pale skin, and the purpled bruise from sucking on his delicate neck that morning. But the rest of his senses were on fire, as Kurt worked his way down to the thick patch of his pubic hair, and ran his tongue over the hard flesh of his cock. "Kurt!" he moaned, and those gorgeous green eyes looked up at him, darkened with lust and hunger. Keeping eye contact with Dave the whole time, Kurt slipped his cock into his mouth, sucking strongly and bringing one hand to fondle Dave's balls gently. His head fell back on to the pillow and his eyes rolled up at the dual sensations. Dave had had his dick sucked plenty of times before, but Kurt's technique was right up there towards the top, at least in his experience. "Fuck, Kurt. Your mouth is so hot and wet. Fucking love how you're blowing me…it's so good."

Kurt glowed under the praise. He knew it was probably somewhat stereotypical, but he loved giving head. Blaine had definitely had an affinity for being on the receiving end of oral sex, and since they'd waited until college to go all the way, it meant that Kurt had gotten plenty of practice in. But even though Dave was roughly the same length as Blaine, he was much thicker around, and all too soon Kurt felt his jaw getting sore. He was also aware that his own anus was twitching and flexing almost spastically, greedy to be filled with Dave's impressive girth. Kurt pulled his mouth off, giving one last lick before moving up Dave's body for a quick, heated kiss. "Your drawer," he said, nodding towards the bedside stand where he was fairly sure he'd heard Dave get his supplies from that morning. "Can I…"

Dave nodded. "Top one," he gasped.

Kurt twisted at what seemed to be an impossible angle and snagged the drawer open, digging in for condoms and lube, and finding them easily. He came back to straddle Dave's crotch, lifting one of his large hands off the mattress. Kurt upended the bottle of lube, clicking the top open and drizzling the oily slickness on Dave's fingers. As he tossed the bottle onto the sheets, he felt Dave's wet fingers brush against his hole, but then hesitate. He brought his mouth down to Dave's ear and whispered. "Do it. Open me up, so I can ride your big cock." At his words, Dave began to rub and poke at his hole eagerly, and Kurt reared up in pleasure. Dave's fingers eventually slipped inside, and Kurt used his strong legs to fuck himself on them, stretching himself impatiently.

Dave twisted and rotated his hand as Kurt pumped up and down, until Dave's fingertips brushed his prostate and Kurt froze with a high-pitched moan, eyes squeezing shut. He stroked the sensitive gland, watching as Kurt's prick began to ooze pre-come onto his hairy stomach. Dave felt around the sheets for the condoms, finally locating them, and pressing the strip to Kurt's bare chest. Kurt's eyes opened at the contact, and took the rubbers from Dave. He ripped one square off and tore open the foil, bringing out the latex disk. Taking Dave's cock in one hand, he sheathed it with the condom with the other, then applied a generous amount of lube. Kurt started to pull up and off his fingers, so Dave withdrew them and reached for his dick instead, guiding it to Kurt's entrance.

Kurt felt the pressure of Dave's blunt tip at his puckered hole. He braced both hands on his broad chest while he worked his way down the impressive erection, sheathing himself slowly until he'd taken all of Dave inside him. The stretch and burn was still there, but with less pain than their first time that morning. Kurt shuddered as his balls pressed against Dave's pubic bone, and his lover's hands moved to bracelet his slender ankles. As he had on fingers before, he pumped on and off of the hard dick inside him, watching as Dave's silky chest hair began to glisten with sweat, and the hair at his temples began to curl damply. "So fucking hot," groaned Kurt, picking up speed.

_Yes, you are_, thought Dave, eyes glued to the sight of Kurt's tall, willowy body working hard and rough on his. A rosy flush stained the creamy skin of Kurt's neck and chest, and he could once again see the mark left by his possessive lips and teeth. The more he watched, the closer he got to the edge. He was just about to bring one of his hands to start jerking Kurt off, but he lost his train of thought completely when the man riding him brought the fingers of one hand to his own mouth and tucked them inside briefly. Kurt moved the spit-glossed digits down to his chest, and began to roll and pluck at one small, pink nipple. His head fell back and whimpers began to spill from that gorgeous mouth, and within seconds Dave was done. He rammed upwards almost violently, gripping Kurt's ankles tightly with his last sane thought so he wouldn't buck him off. His orgasm went from zero to sixty in about two seconds flat, and emptied himself into Kurt's ass with a loud, deep growl. It took Dave a few moments to come back to himself, his first conscious thought _oh shit I left him hanging, nice going Dave, _as he finally looked up at the other man. His mouth dropped open as he stared at Kurt, who had taken matters into his own hands, so to speak.

Watching Dave's face as he came was one of the most erotic things Kurt had ever witnessed. All that power and strength laid bare by pure abandon and sensation. He could feel Dave's cock pulse within him, feel the firm grip on his ankles loosen as he nearly melted into the bed beneath Kurt. He ground down so that the tip of Dave's softening prick was as deep inside him as possible, then grabbed his own cock and began yanking on it furiously. He was going to come all over that downy, expansive chest; watch his pearly jizz mix in with the hair and sweat and _fuck I think I might have a serious bear fetish after the last twenty-four hours_. "Ohhhhhhh!" Kurt shouted, spurting helplessly as mindless pleasure shot through every fiber of his being. Wrung completely dry, he collapsed on Dave's chest, not even minding how his own spew was now coating his torso.

Dave brought his hands to Kurt's smooth, slick back, pressing him to his chest as if he could permanently create an impression of him there. He brushed a kiss against Kurt's hair, memorizing how the silky texture felt on his lips. Then he rolled over to the side, easing himself out of Kurt gently. "I'll be right back," Dave said, disposing of the condom and setting his alarm quickly. He picked his Packers shirt off the floor and used it to wipe himself off, then turned it inside out and returned to the bed. He cleaned Kurt off as best he could, then tossed the shirt somewhere into the darkness of his bedroom.

Instead of turning away, this time Kurt cuddled into Dave's chest. "'Night, Dave," he murmured, kissing the hollow of Dave's throat before drifting off.

"'Night, Kurt," Dave responded. And as he drifted off to sleep, his last thought was the same as it had been that morning, after gathering Kurt to him as they fell asleep. Nothing had ever felt as good, or as perfect as having Kurt in his arms did. He kissed Kurt's brow one last time, and followed his lover into peaceful slumber.

_**Holy 8700+ word chapter, Batman. It's a new record for me and the muse. O_O I wanted to get to the smut much sooner, but the boys were like "Hells no, we need to work out some shit before sexy!times can commence, so cool your jets, woman!"**_

_**Just one more chapter to go! The more you review, the sooner it comes. XD**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**I was so excited that the last chapter put me over 100 reviews for this story (special thanks to Gothicthundra for being #100)! So much love to you all. And now…the conclusion. Dun dun DUNNNNNNN! XD**_

When Dave's alarm went off the next morning, blaring Jethro Tull's _Aqualung_, he jumped out of bed to switch it off quickly. The day before, he'd been able to get up and in the shower before Kurt woke, wanting to spare them both the awkwardness of waking up together. He wanted to do the same thing this morning, but not because he was uncomfortable, or thought Kurt would be. He figured between everything they'd said to each other, and their much healthier approach to a sexual encounter this time, they were past that. Still, despite how open they had been with their bodies and minds, Dave still needed to keep his heart well protected. The sadness he'd felt last night, knowing that Kurt would be leaving the next day, was back with a vengeance. He needed to get in the shower; to wash the smell of Kurt off his body, along with the residue of the other man's sweat and come. He thought that once clean, he'd have the fortitude to wake him up and say goodbye on his way out the door. Kurt at the very least deserved the common courtesy he'd show any other of his lovers, and he'd not sneak out at dawn to avoid seeing him one last time.

He turned to leave the room, and his heart sank. In the dim light, he could see that Kurt had pushed himself up onto his elbow, completely awake. "Hey," said Kurt, softly.

"Hey," said Dave back in the same near-whisper. "You should go back to sleep, it's really early. I'm just going to grab a shower and get dressed, and I'll wake you before I go. I promise."

"It's fine," said Kurt, swinging his legs off the bed and reaching for the lamp on the bedstand. He clicked it on, and the room was illuminated with a warm glow. "I'll make coffee while you're getting ready." He reached down and slipped on the shorts that had been discarded beside the bed, then walked over to Dave and pressed a chaste kiss to his lips. It only lasted a moment before Kurt pulled away, disappearing into the dark hallway.

After showering quickly and throwing on some randomly chosen clothes, Dave walked into the living room to find Kurt sitting at the dining room table, looking into a coffee cup like it held the answer to all of the world's problems. A steaming mug sat across from him; Dave picked it up and took as sip, surprised to find it was made exactly as he liked it, with a little creamer and a single teaspoon of sugar. Kurt must have watched him prepare his coffee the day before, and remembered. Dave tried not to read much into that fact. He sat down, and the two of them drank their coffee in silence for a while. "So," said Dave, finally. "FedEx will probably be here around seven am. When Brady sent me the full-time offer through them at the beginning of summer, that's about when they came."

"Good to know," said Kurt. "I can get an early start that way. Be out of your hair by the time you get home." He meant for the words to be light, but Dave looked like he'd slapped him instead. "Dave," he started.

"Just so we're clear," said Dave, setting his mug down. "You're clearing out because you want to. Not because I want you out of my hair." _Or my life again, goddamn it._

"I didn't mean it that way," said Kurt, his heart starting to race. "You've been nothing but welcoming to me."

Dave was glad he'd set his cup down already, or he was sure he'd have slammed it on the table at those words. He tried to fight off the hurt, knowing how stupid it was, but gave up. Kurt didn't owe him anything, but he was still entitled to his feelings. "I think I've been a little more than just _welcoming_, Kurt," he said, noting the other man's uncomfortable blush, and how he looked down at the table. He sighed, the anger draining from him instantly. "I'm sorry," he said, and Kurt's head whipped up in surprise. "I didn't mean for things to get weird. I should go." Dave pushed away from the table, his coffee only half-drunk.

"But…" said Kurt, grasping, "you…haven't had breakfast yet." It was pretty much one of the most inane things he could have possibly said, but his brain and tongue were frozen, and he didn't want Dave to go with things between them like this.

"I don't need it," Dave said shortly. "I'll stop and get an Egg McMuffin or something on the way." In reality, his appetite was completely gone, but he just wanted to leave as quickly as possible.

"Wait," said Kurt, pushing up from the table as well. "I'm sorry too. I thought I could make things up to you last night. Not just what for what you did yesterday, but everything." He winced at the wounded look Dave gave him. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

Dave looked at Kurt, feeling ice begin to form over his heart. "I'm not hurt," he lied. "I'm just not interested in being the other half of a pity fuck any more than you are." He turned to grab his phone off the counter, reaching for his keys in the bowl next to it.

Kurt ran up to Dave's back, putting his hands on his shoulders. "I don't…it wasn't…" he tried to stammer out an explanation, but his words were failing him. Dave pushed back, and Kurt's hands flew off his shoulders.

"Just stop talking, Kurt," Dave said in a defeated voice. "It was what it was. You never promised me anything. If I read more into it than that, it's no one's fault but my own," he said.

"It's not you," said Kurt, realizing how clichéd the words sounded. "It's been a crazy couple of days, and I'm all over the place. In a different time, a different place…"

Dave turned to him, his eyes suspiciously moist. "It _is_ a different time, and a different place," he said. "But it's still not right." Kurt moved towards him, opening his mouth, but Dave held out a hand to ward him off. "It'll never be right for you and me. I thought we could get past everything, but it's impossible, I guess. We've talked, and cleared the air, and fucked each other's brains out, and it's still not going to work for you. This was a one-in-a-million chance we had, Kurt. We won't get another one. And pissing it away like this? We don't _deserve_ another one."

Kurt reached out with his hands, tears coming to his eyes and chest aching. _How did it all go so wrong?_ he thought. "Let me-"

"No," said Dave, darting around him. "Don't touch me." _And now that I guess we're even? Don't __**ever**__ touch me like that again. _They both heard the words as clearly as if they'd gone back in time. "Lock the door behind you when you leave," Dave said, and left abruptly.

Kurt stared at the open door, tears finally dripping down his face. Numbly, he walked over to the door and closed it, resting his forehead against it for a moment. Sniffiling, he went over to the table and collected their cups, dumping the coffee into the sink. He loaded the dishwasher with them and the previous night's dinner dishes, filled the compartment inside with soap, and pushed the start button to run it. Feeling the same sense of vagueness he'd felt directly after the fire, Kurt wandered down the hallway to Dave's bedroom, figuring he should probably make the bed again. But when he got there, the sight of the rumpled sheets and scattered pillows had his breath catching. Flashes of both times he'd been in that bed went through his mind rapidly, and it was as if he was surrounded by the feel and smell of Dave once again. He wondered how long it would be before he could forget what sleeping with Dave had felt like. Then he wondered if he actually wanted to forget.

He left the bedroom suddenly, going into the hallway and opening a door he'd noticed there. Sure enough, it was a linen closet, and there was a set of fresh, clean sheets on the top shelf. He gathered them and went back into the bedroom. Taking a deep breath, he set them down on the floor and started stripping the dirty sheets off of Dave's bed. And if when he got to the pillows, he sat down on the bare mattress and hugged it to him, inhaling its scent? So what? It didn't mean anything. It was easier to put the clean sheets on than to take the old ones off, though, so that part went quickly. Collecting the stripped sheets and the comforter, which had lain abandoned in the corner since Kurt had come on it the morning before, he went into the kitchen and headed towards the basement door, which he'd discovered while doing a little exploring while Dave had been at work. Flipping on the light, he carried the bedding down the stairs and over to the washing machine. Like the dishwasher, he loaded it, added soap, and started it up. He should have enough time to wash and dry the bedding, put the comforter back on the bed, and stow away the newly clean and folded sheets. With the exception of the clothes he'd borrowed, Dave's house would look Kurt had never been there. He figured he'd just toss them on top of the pile of dirty clothes in the corner near Dave's dresser, which would look normal too. He'd barged into Dave's life and made things complicated with his need and desire, so the least he could do was try and set things back to rights. Dave was upset now, but he'd get over it, right? It was just a couple hours of having sex, and a few more of sleep in each other's arms. _And the talking, and the laughing, and finally putting their past behind them. Don't forget about that._

Kurt heard the doorbell ring, and went up the steps to answer it. A crisply uniformed FedEx delivery man was on the other side, a clipboard in his hands and a medium-sized box by his feet. "Kurt Hummel?" he asked.

"Yes, that's me," he replied. He signed for the package, then brought it inside. He considered the package for a few moments, and then tore at the tape to open it up. Inside was everything his dad had promised, including a brand new Ohio driver's license. He separated out the clothes and shoes, and after a quick shower, changed into them. Being in his own clothes make Kurt feel more like himself than he had for the last forty-eight hours. Going over to Dave's laptop, he brought up the contact information for his landlord. There was no answer, but he left a message with his new cell number, asking to be contacted regarding when he could pick up his possessions, and if there were any other properties with a vacancy he could move into. He also looked up the number of a local cab company and dialed it, asking for a ride from Dave's house to the Western Union in Milwaukee as soon as possible. Finally, Kurt put away the washed sheets and settled the comforter on Dave's bed, closing the bedroom door behind him with a soft click as he left the room. He took one last look around Dave's place before leaving, and his eyes focused on the key that had been left on the table the night before.

Should he take it? He didn't need it, but Dave had given to him, nonetheless. He'd already hurt Dave by rejecting his offer to stay; would it rub more salt in the wound to leave his gift behind? Or would he come home and notice the key was gone, and think that it meant Kurt was coming back? He wrung his hands, going back and forth until his stomach hurt. In the end, his decision was made for him when he heard the honk of the taxi's horn, and tried to walk away without the key. His feet seemed to refuse to move; so sighing, he took the small piece of metal off the table and slipped it into his pocket.

Kurt's day was quite busy. From Western Union he took another cab to the Avis car rental in downtown Milwaukee, hopping within a half-hour into a dark green Ford Fusion. His landlord called him back right before he left the lot and told Kurt that he could pick up his things the next day, and gave Kurt the address of the storage facility where they'd be kept. He did have vacancies at two of his other properties, and was offering them to the burned out tenants immediately. Kurt's security deposit and first/last month's rent could be transferred over, and one of the buildings was located less than ten minutes away, in Shorewood. Kurt agreed to look at one of the apartments right before picking up his things, and as long as it seemed okay, would be willing to sign a new lease on the spot. The Focus had a built in GPS, so he found the Hotels button on the screen and pushed it. There looked to be nearly a dozen hotels nearby, so he chose one at random, the Hyatt Regency on a few blocks away on Wells Street. There was a worried moment when the front desk clerk nearly refused to give him a room, saying it was against hotel policy to not have a credit card on file for each guest. But when Kurt explained about the fire, she called her manager and he decided to make an exception. Grateful, Kurt carried his box up to his room, which was lovely but also completely generic. He sat on the edge of the bed, suddenly feeling exhausted. Maybe he'd take a nap.

He slipped off his shoes and got under the covers, but no matter how tired he was, or how much he tossed and turned, he couldn't seem to get comfortable. It didn't make any sense. The mattress was nice and firm, as he preferred; the sheets were of a decent thread count; and the room temperature was cool and pleasant. But as he rolled to his side, he imagined for a moment the heat and solidness of a broad chest against his back, and instantly knew what the problem was. It was ridiculous; he and Dave had only slept together twice, and he'd been sleeping alone for nearly a year before that. There was no way that in less than forty-eight hours, he could miss the feel of sharing a bed with Dave so much that he was unable to sleep without him. But as stupid as it was, his body knew what it wanted, and refused to let Kurt drift off without it. Kurt sat up, tossing a pillow angrily to the ground in spite. What did his dumb body know, anyway? On a purely physical level, being with Dave made sense. But on every other one, it didn't at all. He couldn't be with Dave because…well, surely there were a bunch of reasons. He was just tired and stressed, and couldn't think of them right off the top of his head. Sure enough, after a few moments, he came up with some perfectly respectable ones.

He had way too much on his plate to even think about starting a new relationship. Moving into yet another new apartment, starting school, replacing anything that was too smoke damaged to be salvaged, finding his way around a new city…the last thing he needed was one more stressor. _Except that Dave's pretty much the polar opposite of that. He's done nothing but try to make things easier for you since he came back into your life. Instead of adding to the pressure, isn't it possible he might actually make it better?_

Besides, they'd done everything backwards. First you start the relationship, _then_ you have sex. Not the other way around! Kurt had messed it up from the very beginning, and now that they'd screwed each other, how awkward would it be to try and skip backwards to dating? _Of course, it's not like you and Dave were strangers. You did already have a relationship, as long ago and as fucked up as it wound up being. And it's not like you never knew anyone at college who hooked up with someone and then wound up going out together afterwards. It happened at least a couple of times a semester in your group of friends, and you know it._

Most of all, it could never work because of their past. Sure, they'd talked about it and forgiven each other. But there was too much baggage, from the Dave's bullying, to the two forced kisses, to Kurt's insensitivity. They couldn't build a strong or healthy relationship on a foundation that shaky. _You have got to be kidding me_, said the voice that Kurt was beginning to realize belonged to both his heart and his mind. _You wound up having amazing relationships with people you had terrible pasts with. You and Rachel used to despise each other, and now you're best friends. You were such a fucking creeper with Finn, and he was so appalled by you. But you're so close now, people who don't know your family don't even realize you're only step-siblings. Stop with the excuses, Kurt. There's only one reason you can't be with Dave – because you won't let yourself. The only thing standing in the way of it is __**you**__._

Kurt felt lightheaded at the realization. "I could be with Dave," he said to the empty room. He went over to a large mirror hanging on the wall and looked at himself. He was paler than normal, with the exception of two bright spots of color on his cheeks. His green eyes were wide, with tiny pupils in the center. "I could. I could be with him." His voice got stronger with every word that left his lips, and he felt himself calm. "I want to be with Dave." The man in the mirror smiled at those words, and Kurt felt a thrill of happiness go through him. Putting his shoes back on, Kurt grabbed his car keys and some cash, and ran out of the hotel room, hoping it wasn't too late to make things right.

A little after four-thirty, Dave pulled into the driveway of his house. He'd been morose and grumpy at work all day, to the point where even his usually oblivious boss had asked if everything was okay. At least it was the weekend, thank Christ. He had made plans earlier in the week to meet some friends at Fluid down on Second Street (he wasn't much on fancy drinks, but even he had to admit their hilariously named Gerbil Martini was delicious), but he definitely wasn't in the mood now. He looked at the door to his house - the door that he was never going to see Kurt on the other side of again - and rested his head on the steering wheel briefly. He decided he'd go in, check to make sure he had plenty of beer, then spend the rest of the night getting completely wasted and wallowing in his own misery. It was pathetic and trite, but he seemed to be all out of fucks to give on the matter.

The minute he walked into the house, he knew something was up. It was silent, but there was some stuff on his dining room table that had definitely not been there before. A cobalt blue vase he'd never laid eyes on before was filled with yellow roses, with coral at the tips of the petals. And at the base if it was…groceries? A six pack of Miller Genuine Draft. A box of unsalted butter. A big Spanish onion. A bag of brat buns. And next to them, a package of bratwurst. What the hell?

"How was work?"

Dave whipped around, unable to believe his ears. When he got there, he was unable to believe his eyes, either. Kurt was standing in front of him, dressed in a light blue button down shirt and tight brown chinos, smiling nervously. "What is all this?" Dave said, voice trembling.

"I thought maybe you could teach me how to make brats," Kurt said. The pleading, remorseful look in his eyes belied his casual words. "I hear that if I'm going to be living in Milwaukee, I simply must know how to make them."

Dave just stood there, convinced he must have fallen asleep at work, and was dreaming. He hoped Tom wouldn't be too pissed at him. But the longer he stood silently, gaping like a fish, the more he became convinced that this was actually happening. Hope blossomed in his chest, melting the ice that had formed around his heart that morning. Still open-mouthed, the corners of his lips started to curve up. "You…?" he whispered, unable to make anything else move past the tightness in his throat.

Kurt's confidence rallied when he saw how awed Dave was, seemingly happy with Kurt's presence. He'd worried so much that Dave would be mad, and throw him out for presuming he was still welcome in his home. He walked up to Dave, smiling, and briefly kissed his parted lips. Kurt took his limp hands and held them. "I'm sorry about this morning," he said. "I'm sorry I was such a self-absorbed, insensitive bastard. Again. If you'll give me another chance, I promise to try my hardest never to be like that with you, going forward."

Dave still didn't think he could make any words come. He nodded, then grabbed Kurt to him in a tight hug, wrapping his big arms around his slender body like he'd never let go. Kurt returned the embrace, dropping small kisses on Dave's neck and murmuring wordlessly. They finally broke apart, and Dave wiped the back of his hand across his nose, sniffing. "So," said Kurt. "Brats?"

Dave looked over at the table and smiled. "Brats," he agreed. He walked over to scope out the ingredients, grabbing Kurt's hand and gently pulling him over to the table too. He groaned.

"What?" said Kurt. "Is something wrong?"

Dave held up the package of brats. "Johnsonville?" he said, with a raised eyebrow. He tsked, shaking his head in mock despair. "I guess they'll do. But everyone knows Usingers are the best brats." He leaned over and kissed Kurt's nose. "It's okay though. You'll learn. I will teach you the ways of the sausage." He waggled his eyebrows and leered suggestively.

Kurt giggled, delighted. "Can't wait."

_**Okay, so the end is so fluffy I think even *I* might throw up a little. But my poor bb's were so angsty and sad and I just had to make it all better for them in the end! :D**_

_**BTW, Fluid really does have a Gerbil Martini. It's super tasty! http : / / fluid . gaymke . com / wetstuff . html (remove spaces) **_

_**I hope you all enjoyed reading Walk Through The Fire, and if so (or even if not) leave a review. I know some of you are sad to see this story end, but it only means that I can move on to write some other stuff that you might like too.**_


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